Hot Water
by CultOfStrawberry
Summary: Romance, action, drama, and a kickass Agni Kai scene all here! Zuko has finally captured the Avatar and his gang for keeps and reclaimed his birthright, but he realizes that honor is much more than that. Zutara all the way as you have never seen it!
1. Taken

Hot Water

Prologue – Taken

Disclaimer… A: TLA isn't mine. Here it is, the sequel to Cold Fire. Hot Water! Haha. I had to think of a title that would work with its predecessor. If you have not read Cold Fire, please do so, then this story will make more sense.

Please note – this is NOT the usual Zuko takes Katara as bait to capture the Avatar fic. There are no cliches or overused plots. There is excellent dialog, an original and unique plot, and plenty of IC-ness as well as a believable storyline and details. There are NO OOC-ness and no crappy Mary Sues or boring cliched characters in here. I just had to say this to emphasize that this is not a boring rehash of the usual Zutara plotline, and it is a more realistic and darker one. I guarantee you…Zuko and Katara will not be acting all sappy and they won't fall in lurv with each other right off the bat. Get real! ^^ There is also plenty of awesome action, drama, romance, smut, angst, and a kickass Agni Kai scene!

This story follows the TV show up to episode 1x17 'The Northern Air Temple' and after that, this story goes on its own, since most of this was written when Season One was on the air, and was in fact started not long after episode 09, 'The Waterbending Scroll' first aired. For my final edit of this story, I incorporated a bit of Season 2 and 3 canon, but much is also very different from what happened in the later episodes of this show. Okay, That's quite enough for an AN. On with the story! Please enjoy, and don't forget to leave feedback!

o0o0o0o

Katara sighed softly as she threw the last of the rations in the cooking pot, making a stew with the mishmash of vegetables and dried meat she had scrounged up from the last of the bags. She just hoped that they would fly near a village tomorrow, or find supplies to forage for, as this forest didn't have much to offer. Just moss…and nuts...and like her brother once said, rock shaped nuts and nuts that just might be rocks.

And Sokka was eyeing the pot hungrily. Katara blew at the fire, adding some more wood. It had taken her long enough to set it up, and she knew he was hungry, hell they all were. If they didn't hit a village soon, she hoped that the Northern Air Temple would have some palatable vegetation. And that it would be warm within. The solstice had already passed, but there wasn't much of a difference in the short days.

Yes, it got colder than this at the South Pole, but that didn't mean she had to _like_ the cold. She frowned as she stirred the stew, adding in the last clove of garlic she could find among their depleted food stores, for flavor. Sokka had been able to get some meat, but the animal was small. At least Aang refused to eat meat, leaving more for the Water siblings. She did understand it from his perspective and respected that, but in the wild, animals ate one another, and if this rabbit-squirrel hadn't been killed with Sokka's boomerang, it was likely that it would have been eaten by bat-wolves or whatever else still roamed these woods.

Aang glanced at her quietly as she stirred the stew, and she shot him a reassuring smile. It was just a few hours ago that they had managed to lose Zuko's damned ship. They didn't see any smoke anywhere in the distance, and all of them were much relieved. The forest was thick around them and Aang had made sure to lead Appa deep inland.

The Prince of the Fire Nation needed something else to do. They had been trying to elude the ship and the stubborn Firebender for several days, and had been very harried and all of them needed rest. Appa had been pushed to the brink of exhaustion. And they still had some ways to go before getting to the Northern Pole, she prayed they hadn't been decimated like the South had been.

But unbeknownst to them, their had come up with a new plan. He knew that the trail of smoke from his ship – or any Fire Nation ship for that matter, was hard to miss. He had cut the engines while keeping an eye out for them with his telescope, letting them think they had managed to lose him. He had learned enough from his previous encounters with the Avatar to think of new approaches to solve the problem that had continued to frustrate him.

Katara hoped they would reach one of the Earth Nation's cities tomorrow, or at least a place where people lived, no matter how small. She sighed softly as she lifted the lid off the pot, and Sokka practically lunged at her, his eyes gleaming as they fixed on the cookware and the steam rising from it. She lifted the spoon, whipping it in his direction and causing a bit of broth to splatter on his cheek.

"I have to divide this between the three of us." she chided, wagging a finger. The Water Tribe youth grumbled and crossed his arms, quickly bringing up a couple of fingers to lick the broth off. He wasted not a single morsel of food, not ever. He had always been like that.

"I know you're hungry, Sokka, we're all hungry but this is all." she sighed as she ladled some of the stew into his cup. He eagerly claimed it as well as a good amount of the meat that had been cooking on a stick over the fire. She took what remained, wishing that she had some kind of spice to prepare the meat with. Having had no food all day – thanks to their frantic escape from Zuko – caused the Water Tribe boy to attack his meal with relish. Growling hunger provided the impetus for Katara to quickly scarf down her meat before starting on the vegetables. In no time, Sokka had completed his meal, meat and all, while Aang sat there, still eating his stew, chewing slowly.

"This is the last of it isn't it?" he asked with a soft whine as he examined his now-empty cup.

"I said that already. But I think there's still a bit of broth in the pot."

"Great." Sokka leaned forward.

"Not so fast. It's not my fault you ate so quickly." Much to her relief, there was some more broth – but not a lot of it – and she divided this as well. The blue-eyed boy lifted his cup, downing the rest of the vegetables-and-garlic flavored liquid, licking his lips. She looked over at Aang who was calmly sipping his broth, trying to make it last longer.

"We'll sleep here and leave first thing in the morning. We lost Zuko, but who knows how long it might last."

Appa was already sound asleep, a huge mound of soft white fur and a soft, rumbling breath in a more than well-deserved rest. The cups were set down and the fire put out. The young Avatar curled up against Appa, a blanket draped across his lithe form. Sokka did not waste time in joining him, curled up on the soft fur in his sleeping bag. Both of them looked exhausted, and the Waterbender knew that she probably looked no better than them.

Katara couldn't help but smile as she saw how Sokka and Aang were curled up against Appa, their heads against the thick white fur as the bison dozed peacefully. They were asleep in no time and she yawned, knowing that she would join them soon. Quickly she rinsed the cups and the pot out with an amount of water she bent out of the jug, stacking them up to dry before spreading out her bedding near the now dying fire.

She sighed softly to herself as she unrolled her sleeping bag, finding herself missing their pursuer. It had been nearly a month since that fateful night, though sometimes it felt more like days, sometimes more like months, as if time had lost meaning for her, and sometimes...she felt herself hoping he would catch them.

But she would immediately berate herself for these thoughts. He wanted the Avatar, and that must not happen. Disaster would only follow if the Avatar ended up in the hands of the Fire Lord, and thoughts of wanting Zuko weren't loyal. Especially after what he had done to her!

She wished that there could be peace. Sometimes fire surrounded her in her dreams, and she remembered the fateful day when the soldiers had arrived in her village. Her mother had fought so valiantly, begging for mercy, and all in vain. Katara gasped softly and jerked awake, seeing the clearing and her companions. These dreams had to stop. Otherwise she would go insane.

Other dreams were of him, and she always woke up blushing. If Aang or Sokka found out, then they would hate her. Well, she didn't _know_ if they would hate her for sure, but she didn't want to find out. She didn't want that night, it wasn't her fault, she kept telling herself. Zuko had held her hostage, what could she do?

Yet she felt that tingle between her legs every now and then and hated whenever she felt that way. It made her feel...so dirty, as if she had committed some unforgivable offense.

She sighed softly, curling up and trying to fall asleep, and mercifully, her exhaustion allowed just that.

o0o0o0o

The soldiers were silently creeping through the forest with Zuko at the head of the group, riding a Komodo rhino. He could have just stayed on the ship, but he would not just send out a group to get the Avatar. He wanted to see and do it himself, that was the only way. He refused, absolutely refused to have the soldiers come back to him and report a failure. He had waited too long, and would not let his strategy go to waste.

They had everything ready – bags, ropes, darts – and moved stealthily. This group was handpicked by Zuko and was the best of his crew, picked for their exceptional talents in agility and subtlety. They barely made any noise as they moved through the trees and brush.

Zuko smirked coldly as he saw the clearing and raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop. Carefully, he dismounted his animal, landing on the grass with a minimal amount of noise. With several whispered words and a couple of hand gestures, the men fanned out, taking formation around the clearing. The Avatar's creature continued sleeping, and the Prince nodded to himself as he lit a brief flame with his fingers, the flash visible across the clearing.

Several darts zinged through the air. Silence met his ears and he nodded slowly, knowing it was a good idea to have brought the darts.

He saw them all and he allowed himself a low chuckle. The flying bison was not important, he would just leave it where it was. When he had set out to look for the Avatar, he hadn't counted on any animals. There was no room on his ship to hold such a beast except on the deck, or behind the ship, dragged along in chains. They did not have the kind of food it needed, much less enough to keep it healthy on the trip to the Fire Nation. The Avatar was the most important thing here, and if this beast chose to follow them, he would deal with it. For now, it would be left alone. He was no sadist, and would not abuse or harm the animal.

It would sleep for a while due to the fact that it had a few darts in it, and upon his command several more were fired at it. It was not important to his mission, but this sky bison was a large creature, and it would be no use to be careless about animals when he had calculated and planned on how to capture the Avatar for so long. He could just capture it later if it did come after them. He paused before looking at the little animal beside the bison. It looked cute, and if the situation were different, he might have petted it, perhaps even let it curl up in his lap. He had seen it with the Avatar a couple of times, and a little animal could be just as much of a nuisance as a big one, if not more. Best to leave it be, though he carefully plucked the dart from its small body.

The soldiers went to work, tying up the sleepers. It would have been better to actually fight the people before taking them prisoner, but he learned from his mistakes. Every time a fight ensued, the Avatar always had luck on his side. Here there was no chance for them to escape, bound and drugged.

He knew he would feel better if he had fought the Avatar in hand to hand combat and taken him down the proper way. But they had eluded him so many times before, he reasoned. He was simply taking a new approach, that was all. He had failed enough times against this... child, and he was not taking any chances.

The soldiers hoisted up the three prisoners and he nodded. He quickly surveyed the campsite. Nothing here worth taking. Sleeping bags. A few empty dishes. His prisoners would no longer be needing them.

The group headed back through the woods to the shore and boarded the ship.

_The Avatar is finally mine_, he thought with a triumphant smirk as he felt the engines hum to life.

Instead of simply ordering the guards to take the Avatar and his companions down, Zuko went down there himself, seeing for himself that the boy was under lock and key. He was not taking any chances. Last time the boy had been on the ship, he had let the guards take him away, and look what happened. Not this time. Not ever. He had learned too much.

His eyes lingered on the dark-skinned girl for a moment as the soldier who had carried her lay her down on the cell floor. He'd missed her. As much as he had tried to deny it since that fateful night, it kept bubbling up in his mind and his dreams.

Now...he had her again. And this time he would not let her go. The young Firebender could imagine she would not be happy about the situation when she woke up, but he would be her master.

Zuko looked down at the boy again. _See, I have learned from my mistakes. I have finally caught you, boy._ The Avatar didn't respond. But how could he? He was blindfolded, gagged, and drugged.

He nudged the body with his foot, and the child did not respond. For some reason he felt a bit soiled by this. Drugging, it seemed like a cheap trick, compared to actually knocking him down in a fight. But it had worked! he argued with himself.

Zuko quickly shrugged it off and used his foot to roll the girl over onto her back. She would have to stay down here for a few hours, but just a few, until he had overseen everything and made sure everything was running along smoothly.

He exited the cell and slammed the door shut, locking it.

The Prince of the Fire Nation felt victorious for the first time in so long. He had learned from each one of his defeats, logging all the data in his mind, thinking about different approaches to the problem. He would return home with honor, after over two years. Two years or being outside Ozai's displeasure and all because he'd spoken out of turn, for speaking out for honor. Ironic, really.

He would prove to that bastard Admiral Zhao that he was better, and to his father as well. The last two years had been hard and lonely.

o0o0o0o

Katara had been rendered blind and mute just like her companions. She remembered being huddled up to either Sokka or Aang in the dungeon of the ship after waking up like this. She had been wishing she could speak and when she didn't hear anyone else talk, she deduced that her companions had been gagged as well. The only voices she heard were that of the guards. At first, she wasn't sure where she might be, but once the guards mentioned the Avatar, the Prince, and Fire Nation, she knew.

She took some comfort in knowing that the body she was huddled up to was Sokka's, she could tell because her cheek had pressed against the cloth of his shirt and the fabric he wore was slightly rougher than Aang's. And she had to wonder where Aang was, but she was answered by a whimper that she knew was not Sokka's because the Water Tribe boy did not whimper, he grunted.

She felt dizzy, her head was pounding, and she did not know how long she had been out of it. She huddled up against Sokka more even as she tried to figure a way out of her expertly done bindings, but that was until she felt herself being roughly tossed over someone's shoulder. She whimpered softly, missing the comfort of being huddled up to her brother. She knew just who was responsible for all of this, but she didn't want to come to terms with it.

The blue-eyed girl felt the ascent from the lower levels before she felt cool air on her face and she whimpered and wiggled around on the shoulder of whoever was carrying her.

"Stop yer squirming. He wants to talk with you, I don't know why. But you have no choice in the matter, little girl." a gruff voice told her. It was a voice she didn't recognize, but she knew she would identify Zuko's voice once he spoke.

She whimpered softly but stopped. What choice did she have? She was bound so that all she could do was wiggle like a worm.

The lack of cool air on her face told her she was now in a room or at least a hallway of the ship, and she was suddenly dumped onto the floor none too gently. She heard receding footsteps, but another pair approached her and she was picked up once again.

The young Waterbender heard a couple of doors open and close, metal against metal before she was thrown onto something soft and the blindfold was removed. She blinked, getting accustomed to the light as she glared up at _him_.

Golden eyes met blue ones for a moment before she tore her gaze away, looking down at the blankets as if she was repulsed by the very sight of him.

"Hello, Katara." Zuko whispered, standing there with his shoulders back, trying to look regal and dignified as he stared down at her. She refused to meet his gaze, or even acknowledge his words.

"I've missed you." the Prince of the Fire Nation stated calmly, but she made no move to make any sort of response. She stared down at the blanket fixedly, and it was such a luxurious shade of red, like wine or blood. _Blood_, that wasn't something she needed to be thinking about...

He approached her with careful steps despite her bindings. His hand reached out to touch her hair and she flinched, wiggling away. He reached out again and she raised her head to glare at him, a protest muffled by the gag. He silently removed her gag, tossing the strip of cloth aside. The first thing that issued from her mouth was a demand for release.

"If I release you, you will leave." came the matter-of-fact reply as he crossed his arms.

"And you would expect anything less?" Katara retorted hotly, "Let me go! Let the Avatar go!"

"And I should do this... _because?_" he asked arching his one eyebrow.

"Because what you're doing is wrong, keeping us all prisoners is wrong, and taking Aang back to the Fire Lord is the worst!"

"I have no choice."

"Yes, you do." Katara said with a steely glare, "And I will not be your plaything again, bastard. Let us all go, now!"

"You think it's so easy for me don't you?" he asked with a snarl, "well, Waterbender, let me enlighten you to my problem. I cannot go back home until I bring the Avatar in. I am forever banished until I do so."

"You seem to be doing fine." she snapped back, "Why not just live somewhere else?"

The golden-eyed youth looked at her, feeling his anger building deep within, but...she also glimpsed something else.

Katara saw that he was homesick. She looked down angrily, saying nothing as she wiggled against her bonds. The last thing she needed was to feel any sympathy for him, even just a little bit.

"_Just live somewhere else_." he mimicked glaring at her now, "I can not live anywhere until I bring him back, I have no home until I bring the Avatar back to my father, nor do I have any honor."

"What about me? Or the Avatar?" she snapped back, "Aang's just doing his job, doing what he's supposed to do!"

"As am I! I told you before that night, it's nothing personal."

"This is not honorable."

"Do you know what happens to those who die without honor?" he asked bitterly, "they are trapped between worlds, never knowing any peace."

"And what of him? Will the Fire Lord simply kill him?" Katara shot back, "And what of me? I am to be killed, yes? The Fire Nation has pushed my people to near extinction!"

"I am keeping you as my concubine." Zuko said matter of factly. Katara spat at him.

"I will not be a kept woman!" she said furiously. He moved his head so that her saliva missed him before he raised a hand to her, jabbing his finger in her direction.

"You will do as I command." he told her in his most commanding tone. She glared at him.

"I am not some toy to be used and then discarded when you get bored!"

"I fully intend on keeping you." Zuko said with all seriousness in his tone. Katara narrowed her eyes at him in disbelief and he shook his head.

"I give you my word on that."

"And why should I trust the word of a Firebender?" she retorted hotly.

"Do you have any other choice?" Zuko said, narrowing his eyes. "I want you. It's as simple as that."

"I refuse to be a toy. You can't just keep me and use me whenever you want!"

"What if I have other reasons for wanting you?" he asked.

"Ha!" Katara sneered contemptuously. She tried to kick at him but her bound legs were little use and Zuko simply glared at her.

She wiggled against her bonds even more furiously as he made his next proclamation.

"You are mine… whether you like it or not, Katara."

"I refuse!" she replied boldly, "I belong to nobody else, especially _a ugly, spoiled brat like you_!"

He hissed softly as if she had struck him, and he turned away. She wiggled to a sitting position. He turned back to her and without warning shoved her hard, sending her back onto the bed. Katara screamed, feeling her eyes tear up as she felt a dull pain in her shoulder. It had been a shove, but he had been so fast and hard that it felt like a blow.

"I hate you! You're a bastard!" she screamed as she struggled to get back up. He looked down at her, his anger flaring up even more before he shoved her down again.

"The feeling's mutual, _peasant_!"

Katara flinched back, wincing from the brutal push.

"I wish you would burn in the nine hells!" she screamed furiously.

"You first." he said, his hands starting to glow as he began to summon his fires, flames dancing around his fists.

Katara's eyes widened and she shook her head, wiggling back on the bed. She couldn't believe this was happening to her. Was she about to meet the same end as her mother?

"I have been patient, and more than fair to you. Yet you spit at my face and insult me." Zuko snarled and the flame of his hands intensified, dancing around his fists in sparks of gold and red. She yelped as he grabbed her robe. _Fair?_ He had taken all of them as prisoners.

"Fair?" she screamed back at him, "You're nothing but a arrogant jackass!"

"I just told you that you will be spared, and you defy me!" he growled as he yanked at her robe.

The flames ate at the robe, and he tore some of it away, revealing her breasts and upper stomach as the flaming cloth fell on the floor. Her breast bindings came under the same assault, and she flinched, trying to yank away. She blinked and looked up at him, clearly startled.

"You will learn your place, Katara." He raised his index and middle fingers. Already a flame was forming at the point before he lowered it, closing in on her before she could wiggle back. She could feel the heat against her chest, what the hell was Zuko going to do? She tried to speak, as his fingers lowered, touching against her right breast, just above her nipple and pressing down, the flame shooting from his finger upwards.

She was stunned for a few moments, still processing of what had just happened as her eyes met his…

Then when she finally absorbed what he had just done to her, she let out a wordless shriek of pain that was heard outside the room and throughout most of the ship. To Zuko, that scream sounded just like his own when his father had scarred him.


	2. The Mark

Hot Water

Chapter I – The Mark

o0o0o0o

The pain was like nothing she had ever felt before. Sure, she'd burned herself before, but only minor ones, a piece of hot food on her tongue, or fingers, but these left no lasting reminders. She was still struggling to register what had just happened. Zuko had hurt her, oh spirits, it _hurt_...

It radiated from her breast through her chest, and all the way down to her fingers and toes. Spirits above, was a human being capable of feeling such intense pain? All she could see right now was the white-hot intensity of the pain and as the scream died down, the tears finally fell from her face.

Katara curled up on her side, sobbing and whimpering, simply wanting to die. Or just to be a male, then Zuko would have never take _that_ kind of interest in her. There was no doubt that a woman's lot in this world was more difficult than that of a man's.

"You brought this upon yourself." he said with a soft, frustrated growl. She could only respond with soft sobs as she buried her face in the blanket, biting down on the soft cloth. It gave her a bit of relief even if only just a small amount.

She took deep breaths through her nose, whimpering softly as she heard his footsteps recede and the door hissed shut with a fire-lock.

Katara thought he was going to simply leave her like this and twitched slightly in pain as she tried to recover for a few minutes. But he returned and she looked up, seeing him hold some kind of greenish object in his hand…she finally saw that it was a leaf and he sat next to her on the bed. The leaf was thick and pointed, and she blinked when the Prince squeezed it. Some pale, translucent green-tinted goo oozed out of it, and he put it on his fingers, his hand moving towards her.

Instinctively, Katara started to wiggle away, fearing his touch.

"This will make you feel better." he said, wiggling his goo-tipped fingers at her. She shook her head and heard him sigh softly.

"It's not going to hurt you, honestly. It's what I put on my burn." She continued to eye him warily, but he refused to be deterred and came closer. Again, she tried to wiggle away, but he placed his other hand on her hip to pin her down.

"No..." she groaned softly. But when he started to gently massage it onto the burn he had made, it felt soothing. Whatever that goo was, it did feel cool on her flesh, but he made no move to apologize and when she looked up at him she felt betrayed just a little more. Where was that Prince she had exchanged gentle words with on that fateful night?

He said nothing to her, massaging it carefully onto her breast. This was aloe, a plant that was absolutely essential to the Fire Nation. Anyone with common sense had one of these plants in their homes, and there were several abroad the ship, to deal with burns, scrapes, or dry skin, along with several jars of ready-made aloe lotion. But it was the burn part that made the aloe so important.

It was the very same substance that Iroh had used to massage into his flesh back then when he was laying on a mat after the Agni Kai with his sire, convulsing in pain from the agony that was the left side of his face.

He undid her binds and removed her damaged clothing before she could protest, practically ripping off her pants and underwear, and she thought he was going to take her… _was he really so callous?_ but he simply removed a soft red robe from a chest near the bed and tossed it at her.

The burn was feeling a little better now with the goo smeared onto it. But she knew it'd be a while before the pain truly went away and then after that...there would be a scar, a deep one. She looked down at her breast, lightly touching the blistering flesh. Even if she managed to escape Zuko she would always have this reminder…to the end of her days.

It didn't look like any scar she had ever seen and…almost resembled the one he had on his face but on a smaller scale. She slipped on the robe, looking down as she maintained her silence.

As she did, Zuko studied her, feeling remorse at the pain she was obviously going through. He knew all too well how painful a burn was, and even though her mark was considerably smaller than the one that marred his face, he didn't doubt the rage and pain she felt. He remembered his own feelings as he had been healing from his scar, and already regretted his rash action towards the Waterbender. This definitely wasn't the best way to start off with his concubine...

Words had never been easy for him, or humility. He knew he should apologize to her, as he would have liked his own father to do. He would rather mark her in a less painful way, when she was more accepting of him. But what was done was done, and there was no taking it back. She now bore his mark. Perhaps the pain would... make her more compliant. If he threatened her with the promise of another burning...

_No, that's wrong and you know it. It makes you no better than a brute. And it is dishonorable. This is the object of your desire, your passion, let it not be tempered with violence or hatred..._

He stared silently as she gingerly poked the area around the immediate vicinity of the mark, her eyes downcast.

"You are mine always." he breathed as he reached out to squeeze her arm. Katara simply sighed softly, her cheeks wet with tears. She felt her heart sink at these words, and wished she was in the dungeons with her brother and best friend.

He suddenly pulled her to himself and pressed his lips against her own, claiming them fiercely as if he could make her forget what had just happened by reminding her of the pleasure he was capable of giving. She held back a moan of pain as her breast pressed against his breastplate. A fresh wave of agony passed through her chest from this and she tried to pull away. He tightened his grip, glaring at her with half-lidded eyes when he broke the kiss.

His hand brushed against her chin and he looked at her, "Should anyone ever harm or touch you, they will answer to me." he said in what almost sounded like a tender, even protective voice. Katara raised her head, meeting his gaze squarely. She was not fooled. No matter what he did, what pleasure or protection he deemed fit to bestow upon her, it would not erase the horrible thing he had done.

She sighed softly as she looked up at him, having heard his proclamation. She closed her eyes as he stroked her cheek, trying to use that as a distraction from the pain, concentrating on their first night together. He'd been so tender then, just like he was being right now. She jerked away.

"Don't touch me. You_ hurt_ me." she hissed softly. She was met with silence for several moments, keeping her face averted so she wouldn't have to look at him. Surprisingly, he offered no argument and rose from the mat.

"I will be back. Rest now." Zuko said, his face devoid of emotion or expression and she wondered what he was thinking. Maybe she was better off not knowing. She said nothing as he left and heard the now familiar hiss of fire sealing a lock.

The young Waterbender got up off the bed, exploring the room. The blankets on the mat were beautiful and lush as were the hangings on the walls, and even the harsh metal floor and walls could not distract her from Zuko's holdings. It was all in opulent shades of red, black, and gold, and to Katara this was impressive, although in truth, these decorations were sparse compared to the Fire Lord's Palace.

Her awe grew as she discovered a small but comfortable washroom, a sitting room with a low table and some pillows to sit on, and what looked to be a study with candles along one wall and a dragon statue, all connected to this one to make up for a nice and private cabin. He truly was a Prince. She had tried to pick up one of the swords from the wall, but it was too heavy for one with no experience in weapons training. So much for using that as an escape method.

She looked out the window, seeing the dock of the ship below and some soldiers milling about, some sparring, others simply watching or standing guard. She returned to the washroom to take some of the absorbent paper she found to wipe away her tears and blow her nose.

Katara wondered if she would be confined to these rooms – that was most likely a given – and sighed softly, returning to the bed. She had felt dizzy ever since she stood up and now understood why she had been unable to wake when she was being tied up before. They had all been drugged. But she had fought it, walking around the suite and getting the blood to pump through her sluggish limbs. She would explore more later, see if she could figure out another way to escape. There had to be _something_ in here.

But there was still a trace of it in her system, and with the events of the last few days, her body begged for her to let it have some much-needed rest.

She felt guilty falling asleep here on this comfortable mat while the people she cared about were gone, and she hoped they were not being tortured. Perhaps, if she pleased Zuko, she could ask for better things for them at least, and gain more wiggle room in figuring an escape.

o0o0o0o

The young Prince of the Fire Nation returned from checking on the Avatar and the Water Tribe boy to find her asleep on his bed, a soft smile on her face as she slept. She looked so beautiful and peaceful, and the blood-red of the robe looked so lovely against her dark skin.

_She will definitely be wearing red more often_, he thought with a smirk. He sat on the side of the mat, reaching out to touch her. How nice she would look in a fine red and gold Fire Nation silk dress, her hair held back with gold pins, pretty little embroidered slippers on her feet, her blue eyes standing out amidst the crimsons and gold.

Katara moaned softly as she felt something stroke her side and he paused, looking down at her with a soft smile before he continued, his fingers sliding lower. The soft curve of her hip felt good against his hand.

Her eyes opened and she startled a little, her first reaction to move away from his touch. She sat up, looking at him warily.

"You looked so peaceful." Zuko murmured if nothing wrong had ever happened between the two of them She sighed softly, shaking her head. The pain in her breast reminded her of what he had done and she backed away, saying nothing. Right now, right now she _hated_ him…

The golden-eyed Prince sat there for a few moments, looking down at her. Understandably she was angry with him, but she would learn to accept her situation. He scooted away from the edge of the mat to make himself more comfortable. She wiggled away and did not look up at him. When he started to reach for her, she rolled over, displaying a straight back to him.

"Katara…" he whispered and she made no response. His hand gingerly went to her shoulder and she flinched a little.

"Come eat with me." Zuko said, getting off the bed and beckoning to her.

"No."

"Come." His voice dropped dangerously as he spoke. "You do remember what happens to disobedient Waterbenders." She stiffened, and inwardly he rebelled at the words that had tumbled out of his mouth. But when she slid over to the edge of the mat and stood up, he nodded in satisfaction. Hopefully she wouldn't try to test him. Already he knew that he could and would never hurt her again.

She mutely followed him to the sitting room, windowless and lit with lamps, where the low table had been set for two and sat down on one of the pillows. Her eyes widened upon seeing the meal that had been set before them. It was like nothing she had ever eaten before. It truly was a meal fit for a prince, even if the dishes and settings were plainer than she would have imagined for the heir to the Dragon Throne. _And his concubine_, she thought darkly.

Most of the dishes were covered, but the smells were utterly tantalizing. Zuko uncovered various dishes, including fish, soup, fluffy white rice, spicy stir-fry vegetables, and wine, and Katara took a bit of each and nibbled her food silently. Even though it tasted good she didn't have much of an appetite, despite the fact that she and her group had eaten very meager meals in the last few days of their traveling.

Zuko noticed without commenting that she ate with the grace of a lady, not getting one bit of food on herself. She did not observe the fancy little rituals of eating that nobles were taught, but he enjoyed this simplicity He had only ever eaten in a informal way with the men of his ship or Uncle, and Mother when he had been younger. As he watched her, he thought about how these little rituals that were taught in the Fire Nation to the nobles seemed… silly. Why go through all the formality for a simple activity? He held back a soft sigh, knowing that when he came back to the Fire Nation, he would have to endure banquets and formal occasions.

The flame from the lamps flickered along his face, making him seem almost unreal and Katara could not help looking at him as she chewed slowly on a small mouthful of rice. He noticed her watching him and met her eyes before she quickly looked down, swallowing her food.

"I... did not mean to frighten you." Zuko said calmly, his tone unreadable. She said nothing, swallowing a hard lump in her throat. _How about an apology?_ she wanted to ask, but she bit her tongue.

"But you must understand that you belong to me. And I will keep you from harm. Don't be concerned for your safety." he stated. She was about to open her mouth to argue. But what was the use? He would not listen to her. She didn't know him very well but one thing she did know was that he was very determined. If he wanted something, he would not be budged.

Katara said nothing, taking a spoonful of soup and finishing it off with some wine before setting down her plate and waiting for him to finish. She had eaten enough to sate herself, but was nowhere near full.

He said nothing as he noted her silence before finishing his food. The chef was a skilled man and he was glad for that. She sat there with her hands folded in her lap, the image of an obedient concubine. It was good to know that she understood her place…even so, he would keep an eye on her. She was smart and strong-willed, and would try some scheme to escape. He would expect no less.

No matter, he had found a way to keep his prisoners, all of them secure. Soon he would have everything that he had ever wanted.

She looked up as he rose from his seat, and he offered his hand. After a moment of cold silence before he shot her a warning glare, she took it although she avoided eye contact, letting him lead her to bed. He started to carefully remove his armor and she turned her head, staring at the wall, giving him privacy. He noted how even as he stripped down to just his pants she kept her eyes glued to the wall.

"Do you not wish to gaze upon me?" he asked in a slightly dry tone, wanting her to look at him with interest and desire as she had done before. "I know you enjoyed the heat we shared." he added. She hated to admit it, but it was the truth. How could she ever forget how that lean and muscled body pressed against her own in the most intimate way? But she would not give him the satisfaction of a response, or any indication of pleasure towards him.

He smirked as he looked at her before letting out a low chuckle. She raised her head and stared back at him, holding her gaze into these fierce honey-colored eyes. They softened a bit, mesmerizing her as he approached her. He pulled her in for a tender kiss, one arm wrapping around the small of her back pulling her close, and she shivered and wrapped her arms around his neck, nuzzling him before she realized what she had just done. She had not even thought about lifting her arms…

Damn him to hell...but her body craved for his touch, had been since their first encounter. Oh, _hell_...

He purred and deepened the kiss, reveling in her soft lips and he nuzzled her fiercely before breaking the kiss and looking down at her fondly, though his eyes burned with need. She looked away again.

He sought another kiss, needing her fiercely, wanting her to make him as whole as he'd been when they had been together for such a brief time, and she moaned softly as he kissed down her cheek and jaw to her neck. She whimpered softly as he pushed the shoulder of the robe down, kissing along her collarbone.

That hungry look set her insides afire, just as it had done before. Zuko looked up at her before he brought his head back up, kissing her ardently, his tongue forcing its way inside of her mouth and she moaned softly as his tongue explored her powerfully, probing wherever it could go.

Finally he pulled back and watched as her eyes closed as if she was tasting the essence of his tongue. How the hell was he able to do this? Was he able to use his bending ability to somehow heat her up? She tried to hold down her arousal but he had effectively drawn it out as if he truly was able to bend her inner fire.

She shivered as he tugged open her robe and she winced in pain as the soft material slid down her breast, as her burn was still very tender. Zuko came close to her again, bringing his head down to her breast and she whimpered, pulling away. The fresh surge of pain reminded her of what he had done, and effectively damped her arousal, for which she was glad.

"Don't touch me."

"What? Why?" he demanded with an impatient scowl.

"Because." she said softly, covering her breast with her hand as if she could make the burn disappear with a touch. He shook his head and pried her hand away from her breast.

"No!" she hissed softly before he brought his head to hers, pressing his lips against her own.

"Zuko, _no_." she said, shaking her head and pulling away.

"You have no reason to hide your breast."

"Look at what you just did to me!"

"Merely because I gave you my mark does not mean you have to think something is wrong with your breast. It simply shows you are mine and mine alone."

"It's a burn, Zuko, a _burn_." Katara hissed, wanting to cry again. Did he not understand what he had done to her? One didn't just…go around and burn people as if it was an everyday occurrence! Or kidnap them and their companions…

Her soft plea made him flinch. He remembered the pain of his own burn, and the deeper pain that had come with knowing that his own sire had burned him. His own son! He shook his head slightly, shaking free of these thoughts.

"It is my mark. It is to remind you of who you belong to. I… am sorry it had to hurt so much." he said quietly. Katara sighed softly as she looked up at his scar, mistrust in her eyes. Clearly she didn't believe him. He hadn't expected to admit this to her, but the pain in her eyes tore at his heart. How could this girl affect him so? Agni be damned! He had thought that having her for a night would sate his desire for her. But no, he desired her all the more. He actually cared about her pain.

She looked down at her breast, gingerly touching the burn with her finger. Well at least he hadn't aimed for a closer imitation of his scar and burned her face. He looked down at her and shook his head.

"You angered me." Zuko whispered, dodging the blame. "I admit that I have a bad temper. But I swear by Agni and upon my honor that I will not do it again." he continued softly as he caressed her bare shoulder.

"Does that include just burning or other things?" she asked dryly.

"Other things, too." he conceded, nodding in affirmation. _I want a companion, not a... toy._

Katara shivered as he touched his nose to hers, his fingers finding her breast and very carefully stroking the burn. He nuzzled her then kissed his way back down to her breasts, and she closed her eyes and sighed softly, letting him kiss and caress them. He was gentle with the burn, avoiding any contact with the said area. To distract her from the pain, he kissed her nipples reverently. He couldn't get enough of them. The nipples were the color of dark cinnamon and were a sweet treat with her caramel colored skin.

Taking her right breast, he sucked it into his mouth, and her head lolled back as she moaned softly. The touch was tender and she started to gently stroke his cleanly-shaven scalp without even realizing what she was doing.

The Fire Prince moaned softly as he felt her fingers caress him, and after a few moments he removed his mouth then repeated the same treatment on her other breast, and she closed her eyes, turning her face away although she made no move to push him away. He might do as he would, but she would not let him see the struggle of pleasure against denial on her features. He pulled away before he took her braid and started to unravel it.

Katara shook her head and tried to pull the braid away and surprisingly, he let go without an argument.

"If you don't want me to do it, then do it yourself. You'd be better at unraveling it than me anyway." he said. She simply stared at him.

"Well?" he asked. "Loosen it."

Katara blinked, not touching her braid. She never wore her hair loose in front of anyone else.

"I told you to unravel it. Do it now." he ordered. Katara was about to protest but she finally sighed softly, sitting up and undoing it in front of him. He breathed out softly as she shook her head and combed it out a bit with her fingers. Oh, he liked _this_ a lot better…she was much more suited to have this look than having her hair braided back.

The young Waterbender blinked and looked up at him shyly, feeling a bit strange with her hair flowing down her shoulders and back freely. She shivered as he ran his fingers through her hair, luxuriating in the thick brown waves. It felt...so very soft to him and he reveled as he felt those soft silky locks of hers, a smile on his face as his fingers curled in the brown tresses. And Katara herself was enjoying this simple act, of feeling someone else's fingers run through her hair... She was wanting more of him, but she tried to wiggle away.

Katara could not surrender to him, not after what he had done. She had to be strong, to resist. He was not her owner! She belonged to no one! When his lips approached hers, she turned away.

"Katara, look at me." Zuko ordered. She shook her head. His grip on her tightened and she was forced to face him although she kept her eyes averted. She could feel his gaze burn into her and blushed a little before she felt his lips on her cheek.

"Don't turn away from me. You belong here with me and you will give me what I need…" his hand slid along her neck and shoulder, "I know you missed me."

She did not reply to this and he had his answer. Instead of asking her or trying to persuade her, he let his body do the talking, and descended onto her hungrily, holding onto her tightly so she couldn't wiggle free. His hands slid along her chest and stomach as he tasted of her hungrily with his lips, hearing her moaning and feeling her struggles ceasing as he massaged her sides, adding heat to his lips and fingers. He continued this for a bit more, making sure she was aroused and compliant before taking the next step.

"I want you." he growled huskily.

She shook her head. No way! No! He was the _enemy!_

"I said… I want you."

"Leave me alone." Katara protested, looking away.

"Why should I? I brought you here for a purpose."

"A purpose I never wanted to fulfill!"

"I need you. And I will not be denied."

And he proved that by roughly tugging her robe open, blanketing himself over her after loosening his pants, holding her in place with his hands when she tried to remove herself from him. She had tried to flee when he moved all the cloth out of the way that would have prevented them from coming together intimately, but he had held her down with one arm. His eyes blazed with fierce need.

Her flesh ached for him, but even then, she defied him by refusing to look at him even as he guided her into a rhythm. She was painfully aware of the pleasure that she was sharing with him even as she tried to shut him and his touches out.

He hissed her name when the pleasure came to a peak, and she cried out weakly, unable to stop her body's undulations against him. Only when did they stop entirely did he loosen his grip on her, and she whimpered out his name, not knowing why before he rolled off her, curling up at her side. She placed her hands on his chest, letting her head slump down as her hair framed her face, the ends brushing against Zuko's pale skin.

"I like it when you say my name." Zuko whispered, staring up at her with half-lidded eyes, eyes filled with satisfaction. She smiled, albeit in a hesitant way, the wavering smile lasting but for a moment. He did not miss this, and felt just a tug of regret at the circumstances and what he had done to her.

She shivered as he held her close. She wondered what she was doing here in the lap of luxury...while her brother and best friend were in a cold dungeon. It didn't feel right.

"Zuko?" she asked softly. He looked at her, nodding.

"It's about Sokka and Aang...I know you're not going to release them so I'm not going to ask. but I ask that they at least receive fair treatment." she asked softly, "Just...have the guards not torture them, give them decent food and blankets... I would feel so much better knowing." she said, hoping he would listen. He looked at her for a few moments and she feared he would refuse.

"Very well." Zuko said with a nod. It was honorable, after all, and Katara would be more cooperative if she had a certain peace of mind. She sighed softly and lay her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you." she whispered gratefully. She nuzzled his hand when he touched her face.

"Do you wish to see them?" he asked. Katara looked up at him with curious eyes. Did he really mean that?

"You would... let me?"

"Tomorrow." he replied. If Katara saw that they were unharmed, she would hopefully trust him, even if just a bit. And it would be an incentive for good behavior.

"Thank you." she whispered again. She just had to wonder how they would react upon seeing her in red robes, since Zuko had burned her blue ones. She couldn't tell them about her new position though... They would think she had betrayed them. And oh, the shame of being a concubine to a Fire Nation man...

She would have to figure out something to tell them and a way to escape... But where would she go? She could not leave them behind. It would better if they escaped and left her behind, since the fate Aang were headed to at that moment was worse than hers, and the safety of the Avatar was more important than hers anyway.

Hopefully, she could find a way for all of them to escape. But what could she do? She looked down at Zuko. She...would simply bide her time. After all, if she remembered the map correctly, they were still a ways from the Fire Nation.

Katara shivered as he gently caressed the burn. Zuko smirked to himself. He knew that she was still thinking about escape. He would make sure to banish these thoughts. In the back of his mind he felt something creep in whispering how he was making her his slave and sending her loved ones to their demise. He blinked and shook his head.

She snuggled closer to him, and that strange feeling came again as he looked down at her, but he argued against it, reminding himself about his honor. He was a Prince, destined to become the Fire Lord. But he would only become the Lord if he brought the Avatar back. The War would finally end. Katara would remain his concubine, kept in the lap of luxury. He would rule the world. Life would go on.

But would she want him after he had condemned her brother and her friend? He could keep her...but she would be unhappy. If his father abused the Avatar would Katara still treat him as warmly as this?

Katara shivered as fingers very lightly trailed along her shoulder blade and she closed her eyes, laying her head on the blanket, letting him gently explore her back. She was not in the mood to fight now, not after he had just proved how strong he was. Despite his words, she wasn't so naive as to believe him. No, she would remain on guard. Did he think she had been born yesterday?

Zuko studied Katara as he explored her body. She had such a beautiful, smooth back and he smirked as he brought his head down to bury it in the small of it, inhaling her scent. The young Firebender rolled her over onto her back and she looked up at him quietly. He couldn't help but smile before he placed a light kiss on her lips.

"You are a stunning lover." he said. She sighed softly before turning her head away. He placed a light kiss on her forehead.

"You will live a life of comfort, with me. You will be cared for." Zuko said in an attempt to reassure her. She continued looking down, remembering the things she had heard about the Fire Nation nobility and how they so easily discarded their concubines. Would Zuko bore of her and throw her away?

Still she did not respond.

"Don't be afraid of me." he whispered and she kept her eyes on the bedspread. He held back a sigh and let his hand gently rub her arm, wanting to soothe and reassure her. He didn't blame her for being angry or frightened especially because of the burn but she had to learn to live with the situation. Her position needed to be established.

He wanted to take her again, but both of them were tired. He was sated, at least for now. A bath passed through his mind, and he considered one with her. But as he looked down at her and her slightly trembling form, he knew it was not the best idea now.

"Would a shower help you to feel better?" he whispered, and she slowly looked up at him. Without a word, he grasped her arm and tugged her off the mat. Leading her to the washroom, he gestured to a fixture on the wall, in a stall of its own.

He gave her a few simple words, showing her how to operate it before he left. She stood under the head, pumping the handle slowly and closing her eyes as she felt warm water wash over her. He had even heated the cistern of water with his hand, and she felt a small amount of gratitude for that.

But that was quickly washed away as the water flowed across her burn. She looked down at it, gingerly touching it. It was still throbbing dully, and she bit her lip. She could not surrender to him, not when he had done such a thing to her. More than that, he was taking Aang back to the Fire Lord, and she had no idea what he would do to her brother. Tears mingled with the water as she pondered the futility of her situation. She could try to escape, but where? They were in the middle of the ocean! She could only Waterbend for so long before she tired out.

She pondered all her choices as she took the water that had already come out, and bended it along her body, getting herself very clean. She made sure to scrub her nether areas, as if she could cleanse every trace of him off her body. But the pain of the burn reminded her that she could not.

_Damn you_. She would never look at her own body the same way ever again. It was one thing to receive a wound in battle, but this... The water ran over her breast and she silently prayed for it to wash her pain away. There was a small surge of energy through her body, causing her to gasp softly before the water stopped its course across her burn, forming a wavering disc that glowed briefly before being absorbed into the wound. The blisters faded, the throbbing subsided, and the angry red flesh darkened into a cool reddish-brown. She stared at it for several moments, her lips parting slightly. Before, the burn had looked so large and angry, but the healed scar was now smaller than she expected, nearly the length of her thumb and little more than half that as wide. The skin felt smooth as Zuko's scar had been, and she poked it disbelievingly. Not one single jolt of pain hit her. In the center of the scar there was less sensation, the nerves dulled from the worst of the heat. What the...

Her shock overcame the elation she felt at the lack of pain. What had just happened? And what would Zuko say? He was bound to notice sooner or later. Would he renege on his promise if he knew he could hurt her and she would magically heal? Her mind raced with possibilities as she finished washing herself.

When she was satisfied that her body was clean, she dropped the water from her control and watched as it swirled down the drain. When she stepped out of the washroom, she felt him place the robe on her shoulders, as if he was trying to reassure her with this gesture.

"Come to bed, my concubine." Zuko said with a soft whisper, his lips next to her ear.

The word concubine brought a fresh pang of pain to her, one that went deeper than the burn had. She looked down, all the events of late coming back to her, and she avoided his eyes. The euphoria she had felt during what she had done with him was instantly washed away by guilt and shame and she felt her stomach twist a little. How could she have allowed herself to enjoy his attentions with what had just happened to her and Sokka and Aang? She was a horrible person for letting Zuko seduce her again – even if he had to pull her close and practically force her into doing it. Hadn't she learned from the first time!

Zuko left her on the mat to take a shower of his own, and she did not look up when he emerged shortly after. He did not enjoy her downcast gaze and could guess at what she was feeling but decided to say nothing. He felt a pang of remorse at what he had done to her, but it was too late now. It was not in him to apologize, but he had something else that he hoped might make her feel better. He went to his study for a moment and returned to the bed, with something in his fist and she wondered what it was.

He slowly opened up his hand...and she saw a slender silver chain and blinked as she recognized her mother's necklace hanging from the chain.

"It belongs to you. And a chain is sturdier than an old ribbon. It was torn, anyway…" he said, placing it around her neck. It fit almost as snugly as the old ribbon, and she gently touched the stone.

"Thank you." she said softly. She felt like crying. It was such a relief to feel that stone around her neck again and she shivered a little as his fingers gently traveled along her neck and collarbone and when she looked back at him he had a quiet and gentle expression on his face. He sat at her side, looking down at her and she felt her anger – or at least some of it, slowly dissipate as she looked up into his eyes – feeling his gentle but chaste caresses. _Damnit, Katara. Remember!_

"You're more then welcome. Tomorrow, I will ask my uncle to give you some of his books." he said softly, "And I will find you more things to do, not just simply reading. I want to trust you, Katara. I would like to let you out of the cabin, but you must first prove to me that I can trust you."

"And what about my friends?"

"I will make their accommodations more comfortable. You have my word on that, and you will be escorted down there to speak with them."

"And what will happen to them?" Katara asked. Her captor shrugged, knowing the full answer would be loaded.

"It will be up to my father."

"That's very irresponsible, Zuko…" Katara said with a soft sigh. He said nothing, using his bending power to extinguish the lamps.

"If you had any honor, you would let them go, instead of taking them back to face a man we both know is nothing more then a brutal tyrant." she pressed on. Silence and darkness greeted her.

"Don't you understand that you are willingly sending them to their demise just so you can go home to a man who may not even give you his blessing?" she demanded, feeling her anger bubble up again.

"I have completed my mission. I found what Sozin, Azulon, and my sire could not find. The Nation will know me as the Prince who finally captured the Avatar and ended the War. He will welcome me back with honor." Zuko said after a few seconds of silence. She looked at him in disbelief for several moments, her eyes growing used to the darkness, before pausing as she remembered something he'd said about mothers on their first encounter.

"And what of your mother?" she asked.

"She's dead." he said softly. His mother had not had the chance to be Fire Lady since Grandfather had been alive back then, but she had been his wife and consort although his father had been unfaithful to her, enjoying the company of concubines before discarding them easily. He glanced at her, wondering if he would ever have interest in other women. Katara was so alluring, even when she was defiant. The lovely women of Court paled before her..

"Well I can say that she'd be disappointed in you, because I am." she said coldly, cutting into his thoughts. For once, he was stunned into silence.

"You step over the line, _concubine_." he replied in the same cold tone after recovering from what she had said.

"You stepped over one a long time ago when you agreed to hand the people I love over to that lunatic."

"You will silence yourself now." he replied sharply, "Or you won't be able to see them." he stated authoritatively. She shook her head before starting to get up off the mat.

"Always the bully like your Fire Lord." she shot back. He grabbed her by her wrist and yanked her back onto the blankets.

"You will stay in my bed."

"And do what?" she asked snappishly, "service you?"

"Whenever I wish!"

"And what if I do not wish to service you?"

"Then the other prisoners will not receive the comforts you asked for them."

"I thought you were an honorable person!"

"I am. But I expect respect from you." he snarled, "I said I'd give them comforts when I could simply starve them and leave them in the cold! Wouldn't you say that's cause for compensation?"

"As opposed to laying back and letting you have me and letting them die by your father's hands when I did nothing to try and stop it?"

"Be silent!"

"Where's the honor in that, Zuko? In betraying the people you love and care about just for power and position? Where's the honor in serving someone who has no honor? Hell, where's the honor in beating someone weaker then you? In bringing pain to those who will never be as good as you in a fight?" Katara glared at him, and he rose off the mat, glaring down at her imperiously, his hands on his hips.

"Quiet!" he ordered.

The Fire Prince stormed into his study before slamming the door shut and she sighed softly, sitting there on the bed. He groaned softly, burying his face in his hands. Doubts had been floating through his head all these years... He constantly pushed them away, saying that Ozai was his father, his sire! He had been given a chance to redeem himself by capturing the Avatar. The Nation knew it, as the Fire Lord had also ordered his son's protection, and citizens were required to help him whenever he asked for it.

Zuko took a deep breath, sighing softly, trying to calm down. He got up, slamming the chair to the wall, and stalked back to the bed. He hoped things would be clearer with a good night's sleep. He had not had any the night before because of the Avatar's capture, and all he had since was a nap.

He did not speak to her, so she waited until he fell asleep before she put on the robe and rose from the bed. She crept over to the door, studying the lock the best she could in this darkness before she entered the washroom, pumping as quietly as she could from the shower and taking control of it with her bending.

Taking a deep breath she concentrated, slowly drawing out a large water whip, letting it arch through the air gracefully. Carefully she 'carried' the water-whip out of the washroom and approached the door and brought the water back as she would a whip.

Concentrating hard, she balled up her strength and took a deep breath, exhaling suddenly as the water whipped forward, aimed at the lock. It struck the door with a loud thud and splash, knocking her back.

A shout met her ears and she got up in time to see him jumping to his feet as she summoned the water off the floor, aiming it at him. He hissed angrily and his arms seemingly went on fire, flames wrapping around them. He waved them to boil the water away, and steam filled the room. In the darkness, it looked almost ethereal.

_And the water whip didn't even open the door or break the stupid lock_, she thought with crushing disappointment. She would be lucky if Zuko didn't burn her again.

He stalked towards her glaring at her angrily, shirtless but still very intimidating. What did he have to do? _Chain her to the bed_? he thought furiously. If he had to...well he didn't want to know.

She whimpered softly, placing her arms across her face as she moved back and he glared at her coldly.

"I trusted you." he hissed angrily and he sounded…hurt? Did he actually feel betrayed? She whimpered softly, looking down.

"I should have known better then to trust you!" he snarled, his hands glowing with renewed intensity as if he might actually burn her again. She let out a soft sob, fearing another branding or worse.

"I'm sorry... I... I just... don't want my friends to die or be hurt…"

"That's not your concern or mine." he said icily. To her relief, he didn't seem as if he was about to strike or burn her.

"How can I just not _care_?"

"You will be alive and treated well."

"How can I live with...knowing?"

"What does it matter?"

"And what if you knew I was about to die? Would you live knowing you could have stopped it?" she asked, deciding to change tactics, "Would you care if I was going to my death? Would you just stand by? Or if it was happening to your mother or a good friend?"

He looked away, clenching his jaw.

"See how I feel?"

"I am just tired." he said quickly, making his way back to the bed.

"So am I." she said softly. She knew she had hit a sensitive spot in him, but he was also volatile and given what he had already done, she decided to not provoke him further. There was Sokka and Aang to think about.

He went back to bed and curled up, pulling the blankets over himself. She sighed softly, leaning against the wall, unsure of whether to just sleep on the floor or share his bed again.

"Come to bed." Zuko's voice called out softly.

"Why?" she asked quietly.

"Because I want you in it."

Without saying a word, she approached the bed, still wearing the robe she had put on when she slipped out of bed. It was partially wet from when the water had exploded against the door and she slowly peeled the robe off, laying it across the foot of the bed to dry and slipped in, shivering as the Zuko-warmed sheets kissed her naked skin.

He didn't turn to face her. She felt so confused. Part of her simply wanted to run away, part of her felt concern for him and a third part...wanted him to _understand_. Not just that, but understand enough to do the right thing.

The young Waterbender looked over at the lump under the blankets. She'd hurt him. He'd hurt her. They knew where to hit each other. It was almost uncanny.

She reached out to touch him but stopped herself. Her hand traveled to the burn on her breast before traveling upwards, feeling the cool stone of her necklace. What was going on between them? Katara rolled up on her side with her back to him and fell asleep, although neither of them slept well.


	3. Kindness

Hot Water

Chapter II – Kindness

o0o0o0o

Katara moaned softly, rolling over, feeling something very soft pressed against her skin. Was it fur…

No. There was red. Lots and lots and lots of red. She blinked as she stared at the thick red comforter that was draped across her form.

She gasped softly and was immediately sitting up, her eyes darting around, taking in her surroundings. It was not a dream. Not at all, and she had been fervently hoping that it was.

If she had less sense in her head, she would just scream. But she remained silent, catching her breath, her mind racing with the events of last night as she brushed the hair from her face. A chance rub of her hand against her breast brought home the fact that it really was not a dream, and her fingers shivered as she touched the mark Zuko had placed upon her. She was a prisoner. And so was her brother and the Avatar. It had happened. After so many confrontations with Zuko and various members of the Fire Nation, the Avatar had finally been caught.

She allowed herself a few moments of silence before looking around again. The bed was empty. She didn't hear any movement from the other rooms so she was probably alone. For how long she didn't know. She could tell if she knew around what time of the day it was, but no. The last couple of days had been strange for her, and she had not followed her inner clock, not that she had been able to. Wait a minute. Had Zuko purposely worn them down with a chase before he went in for the kill, so to speak? Appa had been so exhausted after staying up in the air for so long as they tried to evade Zuko.

_Damnit!_ Oh spirits...

Katara donned the robe she had discarded the night before and slipped out of bed, looking around. There was no food here and what was she to do all day? She could just try to go back to sleep...but she didn't feel tired anymore. Great, now she would have to deal with boredom, and the fact that she and her loved ones were prisoners of the hated Fire Nation. Damn! She had to – no, would – find a way out of this situation!

She blinked as she saw a few scrolls on the table where she had taken supper with Zuko and grabbed one, sitting on the bed and rolling it open. She had just barely read a few words before she heard the door open, expecting Zuko.

But it wasn't her captor. It was the old man she had seen several times with Zuko, more often than not. What was he, some kind of personal servant to the Prince? He bore a tray, and on it she recognized the paraphernalia for tea as well as a couple of covered dishes.

"Good morning.!" the man said cheerfully. Katara silently rose from the bed.

"Who are you?" she asked politely. He shot her a friendly smile as he set the tray down on the table.

"I am Zuko's uncle. You may call me Iroh." he replied.

Iroh, _Iroh_, where had she heard that name... _The Dragon of the West_. The famed brother of Fire Lord Ozai. Wait... _This_ was Iroh, the mighty and fierce general? He looked like a pleasant and harmless old man, with his friendly cheerful smile. Not knowing what else to do, she bowed to him politely. She'd reserve her judgment of him until later, wanting to see what he would have to say to her first. After all, if he was Zuko's uncle and his smile might just be a front, one to put her at ease. Had Zuko sent him for such a purpose?

"Would you care to join me for breakfast?" he asked in a kind tone and she nodded quietly. He sat where Zuko had sat before and she took her position at the other side of the table.

"Did you leave these scrolls on the table?" Katara asked as she watched Iroh lift the dishes and teapot off the tray, setting them down on the table after moving the scrolls to one side.

"Yes. As soon as I heard that you were up here, I thought you might like something to pass away the time." He glanced at her, as if waiting for her to say something. About Zuko, perhaps, or what she was doing in Zuko's rooms in the first place?

"Thank you." the Waterbender responded simply. She would not volunteer anything to Iroh, however nice he might be.

"It's always nice to share my library and even nicer to see a girl who can appreciate a good book." he smiled. Katara said nothing. She hadn't read much of the scroll before Iroh had come in, but the Fire Nation literary style was different than anything she had ever encountered. All the stories she knew were passed down by her people orally, and writing was not important to the Water Tribe. They used the written word minimally, and her reading skills were adequate at best. The children were taught the alphabet and basic words, along with the symbols and pictures that had been passed down through the generations. Her reading had been limited to maps, signs, menus, and the like, and she would not reveal this fact to this old Fire Nation man. So she took what seemed to be the best response and bowed slightly to him.

He poured tea into the two cups he had brought with him, steam rising from the aromatic liquid in faint wisps. She sat there with her hands folded in her lap, watching as he did so. He pushed one cup over to her before uncovering the dishes, revealing simple but savory fare, an appropriate start to the day. There was white rice and steamed vegetables along with dumplings.

"I am...sorry about my nephew." Iroh said as he glanced at her evenly. Katara did not reply as she took a tentative sip. She had never tasted this kind of tea, and she liked it.

"And about your friends." he added kindly. Katara closed her eyes and sighed softly.

"Please don't let the Avatar go to the Fire Lord."

"I wish I could help but...I will not go against my nephew, or my Nation." Iroh said before he took a sip of his tea. She didn't really expect otherwise, but at least he was nice. Nicer than Zuko, at least…

"I am sorry for what has happened, truly. But I want to see the War end." the Dragon of the West replied, though she saw a flicker of sadness in his eyes. "I do not like this war any more than you do. Just because I am Fire Nation does not mean that this war has not hurt me, or taken things away from me that I valued. I understand it's difficult from your position, but you and your friends need not fear me. I am not a cruel man, and I would like for you to be comfortable."

She looked down at her tea, her hands clenched in fists under the table. _Sure. Knowing the Avatar was going to the Fire Lord was a source of comfort. Being Zuko's plaything was a comfort. Knowing that the Fire Nation would win the War with Aang in their hands and lord it over the other nations, what greater comfort could be had?_

"I...heard what happened last night. Your scream…he must have done something to make you scream like that." His tone was that of concern, as if he was her uncle as well as Zuko's. She did not look up, her fists clenching harder as she felt tears burn behind her eyes.

"The whole ship probably heard my scream." she muttered darkly. Iroh nodded. That had been the only thing clear enough to penetrate the thick metal walls of his nephew's cabin. When he heard that Zuko had taken the Water Tribe girl up to his room, he of course had been curious. He had heard a few muffled words before he heard the poor girl's scream and had wondered what Zuko had done.

"It would be rude of me to ask…exactly what happened. But if I can do something to help..." he said in a fatherly tone. He had noticed that she had no difficulty walking or moving, and there were no bruises or other injuries as far as he could see, though this did not necessarily mean that something bad hadn't happened. The blue-eyed girl nodded slowly, sipping some more of the tea though her eyes remained averted.

"Do you like it?" he asked, seeking a change in subject. He didn't like this any more than she did, honestly. And he would find out what Zuko had done, and act accordingly. It could be nothing – something he said to make her scream like that – or it could be something really terrible, though he prayed to Agni that his nephew hadn't gone down _that_ path. She nodded slightly.

"I've never had it before…but I like it. It tastes very good." she replied, just as anxious for another topic to discuss. The smile that spread across his face was priceless.

"It's a blend of ginseng and jasmine. The ginseng gives one energy and vitality, while jasmine is soothing. In the proper combination, it makes an excellent tea, energizing yet giving you the peace you need for a tranquil mind."

"Oh." she said before she took a dumpling, letting it warm her fingers as she held it for several moments.

"Where is Zuko?" Katara asked after a few bites.

"Seeing to your friends." Iroh said and the girl nodded.

"How...long has he been up?" Katara asked curiously.

"Don't worry my dear, you have not slept late." he said, "Zuko got up not too long ago and decided to let you sleep. Apparently you're an early riser as well."

Katara nodded. She was not noble born so how could she be otherwise? Peasants had to be early risers; otherwise nothing would truly get done.

"Would you like to play dice or Pai Sho with me?" he asked and she blinked and nodded. At least here was someone to talk with and he didn't seem to judge her for the fact that she was not of the Fire Nation. And he seemed like a nice guy overall, which made her wonder why he was with such a surly person as his nephew.

The retired general set aside the tray when they finished eating and took a box out of his sleeve, setting it down on the table as he looked down at the girl. She appeared demure and reserved – something that didn't surprise him given her circumstances – but he knew she was rebellious as well. Zuko hadn't looked all too happy that morning when he left.

She was just what Zuko needed, even if his nephew would not admit such a thing. The older Fire Nation prince had noticed how Zuko would sulk sometimes in the last couple of months; sometimes he had looked very alone and other times, just irritable. There was something on his mind that he did not wish to discuss even with his most trusted uncle, and that had perplexed Iroh very much. Sure, Zuko had had a prickly attitude since he had been exiled, but at least he had always confided in his uncle. But everything was clear now. Course, it surprised him a bit, _this_ girl of all people, but still...

Iroh instructed the young Waterbender a few basic rules of the game and they started playing. She listened as he told her a tale of how he had lost a lotus tile, and could not help but smile a little as the distraction of a good story and game brightened her features a bit.

The door opened and Zuko entered, wearing his full armor and a sour expression on his face. She looked up, then back down, folding her hands in her lap.

"Did you sleep well, nephew?" Iroh asked, feeling the tension in the air and seeing the cloud of unhappiness that had reappeared over the girl's face.

"I suppose." Zuko replied with a guarded expression. The older man nodded and yawned just a bit. He had not had much sleep in the last few days either, with the chase and capture.

"Why don't you get some rest, Uncle." Zuko said, "Today we'll just continue sailing, in a few days we will land at a dock and refresh supplies." To the south, along the shore of the Great Continent, was a city called Mentat, part of the Fire Colonies. They were headed directly there, and once they refreshed, they would sail due west to the Fire Nation capitol.

"And miss a chance to talk to the pretty young lady whose caught the eye of my favorite relative?" the elder asked with a chuckle. Zuko scowled, but his uncle caught a twinkle in his eye. However, he wisely decided not to point that out.

"I don't mind your uncle's company." Katara said quietly, still looking down at her hands.

"Did I mention that the tile everyone was looking for was with me the entire time?" Iroh asked with bewilderment as he told Katara the last part of his story, "I never even knew I had it until it fell out of my sleeve!" he said as he brought the story of the lotus tile to an end. Katara chuckled softly, ignoring her captor.

Zuko scowled at him in irritation, but inside he had been a bit glad about the whole lotus tile incident. Because that had resulted in the first night with Katara, it had more than made up for the entire incident, although Iroh didn't know that and the younger Firebender would _never_ admit it.

"Well, I suppose I can leave you two alone for a while. I'll just go to the front deck and spar and practice for a while. Don't pester the girl, Uncle." Zuko said calmly.

"Pester he says, why in my day when children started to scold their elders, we spanked them soundly!" he stated, affecting the air of an old bird whose feathers had been ruffled.

"I'm not a child." Zuko replied with an angry glare, spinning around and stalking out. Iroh paused, seeing that he had he had angered his nephew with that comment.

"There are times when he is a really good boy." he stated wistfully after Zuko had slammed the door shut. He was met with a deadpan stare from his nephew's captive. Okay, so the younger Firebender didn't make the best impression the Waterbender.

"But..." he sighed, "he can be very hard at times. He has been through a lot." he said softly, taking a roll of the dice. She nodded, unconsciously placing her hand over her breast before quickly putting it down.

"Could you do one thing for me?" she asked softly and he nodded, "The plant...leaf...its really thick with rough edges and some kind of goo on the inside...could you obtain for me a couple of these leaves?" The shower had washed off the goo and she needed more. If she continued applying the slick substance, she could perhaps hide the fact that she had an extraordinary gift that she had just discovered.

Iroh raised his eyebrow at her request. Before he thought Zuko had simply hit her or told her what the Avatar was headed to and that was why she screamed but…she was asking for aloe? _Oh no_. Zuko didn't... wouldn't... would he? His temper led him to rash decisions, but this...

His eyes widened just slightly before they moved along Katara's body subtly, seeing no burns anywhere, so it had to be somewhere under the robe… The girl caught his glance and quickly looked down. He had his answer.

"I shall do so." he murmured softly, reeling from the revelation.

"Thank you." Katara said but Iroh had one more thing to add. It was the least he could do for her…

"I'll do you one better...I'll give you a whole plant." he said kindly, "That way, you can get more anytime you need. We keep quite a few around on the ship in pots, I'll give you a little one. They're easy to take care of, I will be right back."

He of course locked the door when he left, but he was back in no time, holding a small terracotta pot in his hands. The pot itself was a dark rust color and she immediately recognized the plant from the leaf she had seen in Zuko's hand.

"This is an aloe plant, Katara. Water it often, that is how you can keep the plant healthy and filled with the lotion. It's very important to the Fire Nation, we use it to heal burns and treat dry skin and rashes." he explained as he set it on the table.

"Anytime you need some more, just break off one of the leaves and squeeze it. Don't worry about hurting the plant, so long as you keep watering it, more leaves will grow."

"Thank you." Katara said, bowing her head again in true gratitude.

"You're welcome. I am sorry for whatever… Zuko did. Did he beat you as well?" Iroh asked tentatively. She shook her head.

"Good. But if he… ever hurts you in any way, please let me know." he asked gently. She looked down silently.

"Katara, please don't be afraid of me. You don't deserve to be hurt. Promise me that you will tell me if anything of that sort happens." he stated firmly. She looked up at him, seeing genuine concern in his eyes. She had to fight back tears as she nodded, and he gave her a small but kind smile.

"Thank you...for spending time with me. And for… being so nice to me." Katara said to the elder, "You're not too bad for a famed Fire Nation general."

"I just went where I was sent, the rest I leave up to the soldiers under me and to the desire to bring as many of them and myself home alive and well. No true soldier takes pleasure in killing, though it is necessary in war. Especially when people are trying to kill you or your friends and allies."

She nodded slowly as he poured her some more tea. After she had another cup, she excused herself for a moment to look out the window. She saw the Prince, shirtless, sparring with one of the guards. The spar came to an end with Zuko as the winner, and he held out his hand to the fallen guard and helped him up.

"I am very proud of him." Iroh said with a smile, "I've seen others who would have killed even those who are defeated and helpless. Zuko would not do that." he said as he stood beside her. Katara nodded, and the two of them watched as Zuko took on another guard, winning again after a hard fight. Iroh and Zuko seemed honorable, not unnecessarily cruel, but her friend was going to his demise, and there was the fact that he had burned her in a fit of rage. What was to keep him from harming her again if he desired to do so?

"I hope...he realizes..." Katara said, her sentence trailing off. Iroh glanced at her curiously.

"Realizes what?"

"Nothing." she said softly. As Zuko helped the guard to his feet, he looked up, noticing Katara and Iroh. He quickly looked back down when he noticed the large smile on his uncle's face. The Waterbender backed away, leaving her companion at the window.

"Very well done, Prince Zuko." Iroh called out and Zuko nodded curtly at his uncle. He was finished with training, since he had been at it for the last couple of hours and was hungry and needed to sit down.

"I should be going now." the older man said with a brief nod. As he turned from the window, Katara gently touched his arm.

"Thanks again."

"You are more than welcome."

"Perhaps we could have some tea later?"

"I am honored to accept your invitation. Count on it." he replied with a bow before he left, locking the door.

She sat on the bed after taking a leaf from the aloe and milked the gooey substance, opening her robe a little and massaging it into her breast, quickly snapping her robe shut when she heard the door unlock and open.

"How are you feeling?" Zuko asked and she looked up at him for a moment.

"I'm all right." she said softly, her voice distant. What else could she say? She wasn't going to demand an apology, as she knew he wouldn't give her one. For several uncomfortable moments, the silence surrounded them before he spoke again.

"So... I see you got an aloe plant."

"Yes."

Zuko knelt before her, but she refused to look at him as he slowly reached for her. What did he want now? In a moment, his intent was clear as he reached for her robe, and she jerked back, her heart pounding. She had already made the decision to keep her burn hidden for as long as she could. She knew that it should look a lot worse than it did right now, and hoped that she could keep it hidden for at least several days. That way, when he did see it, what was expected of the burn would be closer to reality.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to see it."

"Leave me alone!" she hissed softly.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

"Like you haven't already." she replied acidly, narrowing her eyes as her head shot up so she could glare at him. She was satisfied – but more surprised – when he reeled back slightly, an unreadable mixture of emotion in his face. He quickly looked down, as if he himself was ashamed of what he had done.

"I promise to not hurt you."

"I don't trust you." Why would she?

He rose to his feet, pacing the room a couple of times while she watched quietly, before coming back to her, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"I gave you my word once before, did I not keep it?" he asked. She held back another scathing reply, and heard him sigh softly.

"I am sorry that it hurt. Believe me, I know how it feels." He gestured to his own scar, and she regarded him with a wary stare. "I swear that I will not leave another mark on you, or raise my hand to you again."

Things had gotten heated, yes. But that was no excuse for hurting her like he had done. He regretted it, but could – and would – not admit that. She would simply have to accept his promise.

"Very well." she replied, but it was clear that she would not trust him. Fine. Let her see for herself that he took his word seriously.

"If you like, you can have some herbs for the pain, though it makes you a bit light-headed."

"No, thank you." Her voice was prim and distant, as if she was turning down an invitation to tea or the like. He swallowed back the lump he felt in his throat, wishing that he didn't feel so conflicted. He had never had an easy time dealing with his emotions, especially after his mother's death, and cut himself off from them as much as he could. It didn't exactly do wonders for his temperament, though.

"Very well then." Zuko replied, gritting his teeth with forced patience. "I still want to check the burn, though."

"No."

"I have experience with burns. Let me make sure it's not infected."

"It's not infected. I'm fine."

He clenched his fists, but was able to collect himself as he took a deep breath. "Very well, then."

The young Waterbender found herself alone as he headed into the washroom to take a shower, and bit back a quiet sob. She wanted desperately to see the Avatar and her brother.

Even though she suspected the door would be locked, she tried it nonetheless, feeling disappointed despite her expectations as she jiggled the handle. Even if by some slim chance he had forgotten to lock the door, she understood there would be soldiers outside. Still, could she be blamed for hoping?

She had thought of smothering him in his sleep with a pillow, but what would happen in the morning when the soldiers or Iroh found our what happened? Realistically, she knew she would have a very difficult time taking a life for any reason, but after what had happened, it seemed natural to simply ponder such a thing. After all, when one was feeling wrathful against someone, wasn't it natural to wish them harm or death in the heat of anger?

She gave out a soft groan of frustration as she banged her fist against the door, feeling tears fall down her cheeks. Soft sobs escaped her throat, and she wept softly until she heard the door to the washroom bang open. Quickly wiping her tears with the sleeve of her robe, she collected herself. She would not allow that spoiled Prince to see her crying.

Katara stood there, facing the door for several minutes before she felt a hand on her shoulder. Instinctively, she jerked away.

"Leave me alone!"

"That is no way to talk to the one who holds the welfare of your brother and the Avatar in his hands."

She stiffened before letting out a slow sigh, turning around to face him.

"Is that what you're going to do every time I don't cooperate? Threaten me with the safety of the ones I care for?" she asked, fighting to keep a calm tone.

"If you don't want to hear these threats, then cooperate. You should be honored to warm my bed."

Katara was so furious that she felt her cheeks burn at his statement. Honored? It took all of her willpower to not scream back at him.

"I will cooperate for the sake of the ones I care for. But that is all you will have from me." she replied. When he touched her chin with his hand, trying to turn it towards him, she did not resist. Her eyes remained averted from his as she found a spot on the wall to study, aware of his scrutiny.

She didn't want to give herself to him again, but she was no longer virgin. The damage was done, what did she have left? Her brother and the Avatar.

As he ran his thumb along her lips, she sent out a silent prayer that Sokka and Aang would never learn of the compromising situation she had been forced into.

The young Prince of the Fire Nation pressed his lips to her cheek, inhaling her scent as he lightly nuzzled along her jaw. He had missed the scent and feel of her flesh, and while he had been dueling and training outside, he had thought about how nice it was to have the Waterbender captive in his room, for his pleasure. He honestly had no desire to beat or torture her, and much preferred using threats against her friends than physical violence against her person. Deep down inside, he knew that threats were not that much better than violence, _but hey, whatever works_.

He would have his honor and birthright restored. He, Zuko, not Sozin or Azulon or Ozai, would be known as the one who captured the Avatar and brought about an end to the War. And the Waterbender was a tasty bonus, a beautiful and exotic girl who would realize soon enough that she was better off under his safety as his pet than out there, vulnerable to who knows what danger. Mmm.

The young Firebender captured her lips in a kiss, but she did not respond the way he desired, merely closing her eyes as she stood there, lips slightly parted but not pliant. He nibbled her lower lip for a moment before pulling back. Only after a couple of seconds did Katara finally open her eyes, returning her attention to the wall.

He let out a low sigh before letting his hand drop.

o0o0o0o

The day had passed in mostly silence for the captive Avatar and the Water Tribe lad. The night before, they had gone to sleep safe and a bit hungry, and then had woken up to find themselves in this... Fire Nation ship! Panic had settled in at first as they had tried to orient themselves to this situation, trying to remember exactly what had transpired between them going to sleep in the woods and waking up here in the ship's holding cells with stomachs rumbling with hunger.

The blindfolds and ropes had been removed, but both boys had their wrists shackled together before being placed in separate cells. The manacles would be an effective restraint against Aang's Airbending as much of it required free use of the arms, though from what he had seen of other Benders, it was true for any element of Bending.

The meal served to them just now had been rather bland, water and some kind of gruel along with a slice of bread. It was also meagerly portioned, leaving an edge of hunger that was only exacerbated by the boredom that was inevitable from being stuck in a cell.

All his demands and questions had gone unanswered. The hatchet-face guard at the door ignored inquiries for more food, the location of his sister, what time of the day it was, where they were headed, and the like. Sokka was beginning to wonder if the guard was in fact mute.

He nursed the hope that Katara had somehow managed to escape. If these Fire Nation bastards had 'fun' with her or killed her, there would be nothing – except for this stupid cell and these stupid shackles – to stop him from having his vengeance. Better to think of Katara on the run, seeking help or coming up with a plan of her own to rescue them. He faintly remembered coming to consciousness while being roped up and blindfolded, groggy due to the lingering drugs in his system. There had been a warm body pressed against his own, had it been Aang or Katara? He dearly hoped it had been just the Avatar...

He looked up quickly when the door to the brig opened, revealing another guard. The hatchet-faced man was relieved of his duty by the taller man, and the Water Tribe youth stared at him for several moments. Upon noticing his scrutiny, the man glared back. Sokka refused to allow himself to be shaken.

"Hey, what time is it?" he asked, hoping that this soldier was more up to answering questions than his predecessor. The man stared back for a moment before he spoke.

"Late afternoon."

"When's supper? I'm hungry."

The guard grunted and shrugged, obviously not caring.

"Where are we headed?"

"Fire Nation." the man replied simply. That answer wasn't surprising to Sokka considering that the Avatar was also a prisoner, but still...

"Who's responsible for this?"

The guard responded with another shrug. He had been instructed to not give the prisoners any information.

Sokka muttered in frustration and tugged his wrists against the manacles. He didn't want to think that they might be captives of Admiral Zhao... Or even worse, Prince Zuko!

"Who? Come on, you can tell me? Is it that man with the big sideburns like a monkey?" He was gratified to see a faint smile for a moment on the man's face before he collected himself.

"Not a big fan, huh?" Sokka pressed. "I can't blame you. I bet he smells like one too. Is it him, huh?"

At this inquiry, the guard resumed his poker face, staring ahead.

"Sokka?" The Water Tribe youth heard his name whispered from the other cell.

"Hey." Sokka scooted over to the other side of his cell.

"I don't think it's Zhao. I think..." There was a hesitant pause, "We're on Zuko's ship."

"What makes you say that?"

Before the Avatar could answer, the door to the holding quarters opened. Another soldier stepped through the doorway, bearing a pair of folded blankets in his arms.

"Orders from Prince Zuko." the newcomer said, gesturing to the blankets.

"Oh, hell." Sokka muttered, the momentary comfort of the blankets quickly washed away at the confirmation of Aang's thoughts. He said nothing when the guard approached the door to his cell to slide one of the blankets through the food slot. He waited as the man retreated before he spoke again. "Katara... you have any idea where she might be?"

"I... don't know. I think she was with us this morning, but she's not here."

"You think?"

"I... when we were tied and bound before, I think I felt two bodies. I couldn't talk and neither could you, apparently."

"Wonderful. Not only are we prisoners of that bratty prince, we don't even know where Katara is." His stomach knotted tightly as he imagined what his sister might have gone though, or be enduring right now, and blissfully unaware of what Zuko had done to her, or just why he and Aang were receiving warm blankets. Had he known the truth, the comfortable blanket he was now holding on would have been a cold comfort indeed.


	4. Silence

Hot Water

Chapter III – Silence

o0o0o0o

Katara had poked at her meal, taking only a few bites even after Zuko had assured her that her brother and friend were being fed well, and had been given blankets for warmth and comfort. They had not been abused by the guards, and she faced the prospect of seeing them tomorrow – a prospect that depended entirely on her so-called cooperation. She did not look forward to going to bed. While she had been left alone, her moral dilemma raged hotly deep within. Part of her wanted to fight him tooth and nail, castrate him even, while her more sensible part reminded her of the captives down below, captives whose comfort and safety depended on her.

"The table is about to be cleared. Hurry up, there will be no more food tonight."

"I don't care, I'm not hungry. Give my food to Sokka and Aang."

"Don't give me attitude."

"I'm not." Katara replied, trying her best to not sound snippy – hard to do considering Zuko's prickly demeanor – and kept her eyes down at the table. "I really am not hungry."

"Very well." Zuko stared at her for several moments, noting her unhappiness. _She'll get used to it when she realizes what I offer. _"At least drink the tea."

To his relief, she did not argue and picked up the cup, albeit in a mechanical way. Meanwhile, he admired how she looked in the deep red robe – it complimented her dusky skin in a way that he had never seen on the considerably fairer-skinned women of the Court. It was baggy on her, but he liked how the fabric draped along her body. But oh, how elegant she would look in tailored gold and silk robes, her hair swept up with gold pins to reveal her graceful neck.

After she emptied the cup, she set it down and rose from the table. He said nothing, watching her receding figure as she retreated to the bedroom. Though he was now alone in the room, he already felt lonely when she had sat down with him, since she avoided all eye contact and did not speak unless he asked her a question.

Uncle had advised playing a game with her. Pai Sho or mah jongg, or the like. And of course, to treat her kindly. And offer her gifts, like flowers.

_She will be covered in silk and surrounded by luxury_. He would guard her jealously. This wasn't some... mere infatuation, he was certain of that. He didn't know how to describe his emotions for her, but it sometimes frightened and confused him. Part of him felt like the scum of the earth for the pain he had put her through and the threats he had to make to keep her in line. _She will see how lucky she is_. Being the companion of the future Fire Lord was hardly something to complain about.

And he would be damned if he gave up the Waterbender. Already he hungered for her. He had to be careful to not let that affect his judgment or decisions. Ignoring his captive for the moment, he rose from his seat to use the washroom for his usual nightly routine before heading into his meditation room.

Katara was actually surprised when he didn't come to her after he had his supper, demanding attention or sex, but she was also relieved. She was more than content to sit by a lamp and read one of the books that Iroh had given her. It provided a welcome distraction and actually served to educate her as she examined the calligraphy, which was more elaborate than anything she had ever seen before. There were a few things that confused her, but she was certain that Zuko's uncle would explain them to her. He seemed like such a kind person and had assured her that she could come to him if she had questions. She certainly would rather ask him than his nephew. Hopefully she could gain some insight or idea from these scrolls.

The Water Tribe girl was so absorbed in the reading material that she lost notice of the time, and flinched when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Without a word, she rolled up the scroll and rose from her seat.

"I suppose you'll be wanting me to lie back for you." she said in a quiet tone, keeping her back to him.

The young Prince glanced at her, tugging her shoulder to turn her around. She offered minimal resistance, keeping her eyes on the floor. Her cooperation was what he wanted, but he didn't want this... dispirited Waterbender who would merely sit or lie there. He wanted to hear cries of pleasure and feel her writhe under him, like she had done on that night when he had rescued her from the pirates.

"Get on the bed. And look happy about it."

"What do you care of my happiness?" Katara asked, stiffening under his touch.

"You enjoyed yourself before." Zuko replied. He remembered all too well.

"You wouldn't let me see Sokka or Aang today." she retorted, changing the subject.

"Only because you tried to escape last night." He was met with sullen silence.

"There's no need to make this difficult. The Avatar and the Water Tribe boy are warm and well-fed, just as you asked. And I already said that no harm would come to you."

"Thank you for reminding me." There was a faint edge of sarcasm in her tone, but she went over to the bed and reached under her robe, loosening the drawstring of the pants Zuko had lent her. The material quickly pooled around her feet before she stepped out of them and sat down on the mat, revealing a glimpse of her right leg.

The young Firebender slipped off his robe and shirt, approaching the bed as he looked down at her. She stared back at him levelly, like a prey might eye its predator as it tried to figure out a way to escape. His eyes narrowed in slits as he stared at her challengingly Finally, here was some of that spirit he enjoyed so much. Lowering himself to the mat, he reached over to caress her cheek. She did not respond to it by pulling away or leaning into it, and continued to regard him with that stare of hers. Hm. He would have to arouse a response out of her, then. That was something he was more than delighted to do.

He leaned in, placing kisses along her jaw, savoring the scent and feel of his Waterbender. She remained still, but he knew he could overcome the challenge she set forth.

"Katara..." he whispered, curling his fingers into the hair at the back of her neck, anchoring her gently as he continued to taste of her flesh, working his way to her lips.

"Please, don't. Just take what you want." Her tone was soft, almost pleading.

"I am. I want a kiss." he retorted gently. If all he wanted was something to 'stick it in', according to the rough vernacular that some of his men used, that could be easily obtained from anything with a cunt. Not even the skilled and pampered concubines of the Palace had interested or satisfied him.

She remained still, her lips slightly parted as he claimed them. He pressed his lips against hers several times, running his tongue along her lower lip to try to coax a response from her as he tasted an almost indiscernible trace of the tea they had shared for supper.

Katara closed her eyes, trying to ignore his gentle administrations. She was genuinely surprised that he didn't get right down it, so to speak. She had seen the lust in his eyes, so why was he kissing and exploring her face in such a gentle manner? He had no reason to, unless he was trying to calm her into a false sense of security. Well! She would have none of that, and cooperated in the most minimal way as he grasped her hair, kissing her more hungrily.

After several more moments of this, he finally broke the kiss and she opened her eyes, holding back a sigh of relief. His hand slid down, grasping the cord that held her robe closed, and she flinched, touching his hand.

"You don't need to open the robe to enjoy yourself." she stated. If she could just hold him off from the sight of her chest for a few days, then he should not notice the remarkable condition of her burn then. Her hands slid to her lap as she started to hike up the robe, revealing shapely calves before he shook his head.

"That might be true, but I would enjoy myself more if I could see all of you."

Katara felt panic creep in as she shook her head. What would Zuko say when he saw what had happened? What kind of excuse could she give him? That the spirits had taken pity upon her and taken away her pain?

_Oh, wait_. That actually wasn't a bad idea!

"Might as well. You've already seen it all and ruined me." she muttered as she looked away, letting go of her captor's hand.

"Ruined?" Katara was taken aback to hear genuine surprise in his voice.

"Yes. You've already taken my virginity and my future. What man will want me now?"

"I want you."

"Yes. The Prince of the Fire Nation wants me as his toy. What else is there for me? I will never have a real husband or a family of my own. You speak of what you want, but what one wants isn't always good for others."

Zuko studied her for several moments, not wanting to admit that he understood what she meant. At Court, noblemen were all too happy to discard or ignore concubines they were no longer interested in. The fate of an abandoned concubine was rarely if ever happy, because what man wanted the leavings of another man?

He couldn't imagine discarding her. He had meditated often on his feelings for her. Yes, their relationship hadn't... gotten off to the best start, but what was done was done.

"Don't think of yourself as ruined. I find you just as enticing as before. You're the same Waterbender I desire. I promise you, you will be well-cared for and safe. These surroundings might not seem much right now, but when we get to Sozun, I assure you, things will be much better."

The mention of the capitol city of the Fire Nation caused her stomach to tighten in a knot. She wanted to scream, cry, plead, even throw herself at his feet in a desperate effort to sway his decision.

"Is there nothing I can do to earn my freedom?" she asked quietly.

"No."

She lowered her head, fighting back tears.

"But I don't want a slave." He touched her chin, moved by her obvious pain. Why did he care about her so much? "Do you remember what I said before, on our first night together? That we should just forget about the sides we are on, and just enjoy ourselves?"

"That was different. But now..." She tentatively touched her breast.

"I told you before. It's nothing personal. If I didn't have to capture the Avatar, I'd be happy enough to pretend he doesn't exist."

"And me?"

"I would desire you all the same. Believe me, I wish things were... different. Not you, but..." He touched the mark on his face.

The two of them sat together in silence for several minutes. She kept her gaze down, twiddling her fingers before he covered them with his hand, feeling them tremble slightly. Dear Agni. If he had never been exiled, he never would have met her. Would he have met another woman who could draw out his feelings like his azure-eyed captive did?

He had to stop thinking about that. It just baffled and frustrated him. Why torture himself with such thoughts when he had her right here to distract and comfort himself with?

His hands quickly slid up to her shoulders, pulling down the robe. She gasped softly and jerked back, but did not try to climb off the bed. Her hand shot up to her breast, hiding the mark, but he had already glimpsed it. What he had seen stunned him. Rather than seeing an angry-looking mark with blisters and irritated flesh covered with aloe lotion, he could swear that the burn was completely healed.

"Katara?" He could not hide the shock in his voice as she scrambled to pull the robe back up with her free hand. He reached out to grab her hands. To his relief, she offered no resistance, her hands limp as he gently pulled them down. The mark peeked over the opening of her robe, and he tugged it down just enough to reveal the rest of it. There was no doubt about it, it was completely healed, and when he touched it, it had the same smooth, tough feel of his own scar. How was that possible?

"Katara... how?"

"The spirits had mercy on me and took away the pain." Her eyes were averted to the wall.

Taking away the pain. He couldn't object to that. It would be nice if the spirits had done him the same favor. He was genuinely ashamed of the way he had hurt her, even though he wouldn't admit it. That was why he offered her aloe and pain-killing herbs, anything to ease her discomfort as her injury healed. Perhaps her connection with the Avatar had caused the spirits to notice her. But the more he thought about it, the more farfetched it seemed. Spirits were said to bless or curse people, but it seemed odd that they would do this.

"What really happened?"

"The spirits, I told you. They washed away the pain." she replied stubbornly.

Washed away... Wait. Might her Waterbending have something to do with it? He pondered the possibilities. Bending had its obvious uses, but also more subtle ones. Firebending wasn't just used for creating fires or attacking. Glassblowers and metalworkers used Firebending in their craft, and fire could be used by physicians to sterilize their instruments or boil water.

"Did you use your Waterbending?" he asked pointedly.

"No!" Her response was too sudden and forced to be convincing, and he shook his head.

"Don't lie to me."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"I'm just... curious." If she had been at his side when he was recovering from what his father had done to him, how wonderful that would have been. She did not respond to his comment.

"I wish you had been with me after this happened to me." He touched his scar. She wasn't sure whether she should respond with a sympathetic or scathing comment, and considered it wiser to just keep her mouth shut.

"What was it like? How did you do it?"

"I don't know. It just... happened."

"How?" he pressed. She glanced at him, and he stared back challengingly. "I asked a question. Answer it."

"I was just in the shower, trying to clean it, and then all of a sudden, the water soaked in and just... healed."

"Hmm." He pondered her statement. If she could apply this to other people, it would be a valuable gift, indeed. She could even heal his wounds, should he suffer any in the future. His mind reeled with the possibility, and he considered getting a knife to nick himself and see if she could heal it. If the Court knew of such a gift...

"Don't tell anyone about it." he said. She glanced back at him with surprise, so he decided to clarify. "I wonder if... you might be able to heal others if they're hurt. Such a gift would be very valuable, and draw you unwanted attention. And I meant it when I said I would keep you safe."

She let out a quiet sigh, nodding slowly. "Yes. That's a... good idea. Thank you."

"You're welcome." The words felt foreign coming from his mouth. "I'm... glad that you're better now."

She nodded slowly. To her, that was a small comfort, but it was better than nothing.

"I still expect full cooperation and obedience, however." he replied, sounding more like his old prickly self. She knew that she could not expect him to always be more patient and understanding, but it'd be nice if he could do it more often.

"But of course." she replied dryly.

"Good. I just wanted to make that clear."

"Oh, it's crystal clear. I might be a peasant, but I'm not stupid."

The pair stared at one another for several long moments.

"It's getting late. Go to bed." he said.

"I thought you wanted to..." She stopped herself. If he was going to let her go to sleep without touching her, then great. She slipped under the covers, her back to him as she lay there quietly.

o0o0o0o

Zuko joined her under the covers, nestling next to her as he glanced down at her. He still desired her, but his immediate lust had been put off for the moment due to what had just transpired between them. There was a lot to think about, so he let his thoughts wander as he touched her face gently, leaning over so he could study her features. She kept her eyes closed, but he noticed that she did not stiffen or flinch upon his touch.

The golden-eyed Prince let his hand trail along her jaw and down to her throat before drawing back. The soft curves of a child's face still lingered on her features, but he could see the angles of the woman's features emerging. She would truly be stunning when she fully bloomed. He had to wonder just how old she was, she couldn't be much younger than him, although she spoke with maturity beyond her age, as if she felt older than she really was…which was what he himself felt all too often. He remembered the Avatar pointing out that he was still a teenager, but he certainly didn't have the carefree feeling that came so easily to the teenaged children of the nobles at Court. On the rare occasion he looked into the mirror, he noted the youngness of his own features, the way his form had yet to fill out entirely as he slowly approached manhood.

Zuko sighed softly and lay on his back, looking up at the cold metal ceiling. It had a scorch mark on it from a long time ago, last year perhaps, from when he once had a fit and shot out a ball of fire. Metal was the only thing that could withstand fire. But only for a while, at least...same with water. Both elements – if metal could be considered an element – could only stand up to fire for so long.

His thoughts wandered to the Avatar. Was Katara right? Was he truly irresponsible for doing this? Gingerly he rubbed his head, remembering when the arrow had come at his mask, stunning him. Dimly he remembered the boy's words, the shadows and light of the forest surrounding him, the surprise he had felt to see the Avatar sitting nearby…

He remembered the Avatar's gentle words. Was it right to put the Avatar in Ozai's hands? Katara thought he was taking the boy to his death…but it would not be that fast or merciful, what the Fire Lord would do to him. And Katara was much better off not knowing that bit of information.

o0o0o0o

The Waterbender stirred slightly as her eyes opened. This time it took no time to recognize her surroundings. It was dark, but she felt the warm blankets around her and heard the soft breathing. Carefully, she rolled over, and saw the silhouette of the Prince in the darkness, the line of his nose and lips. He was staring up.

She could not help but wonder what he was thinking. Was it about her? The Avatar? Something else? As her eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, she saw a thoughtful, even sorrowful expression on his face. She had never seen that on him before, and her curiosity was intrigued as she observed him in silence, keeping her eyes partially closed so he might think she had merely rolled over in her sleep.

Suddenly, the Prince rolled over to face her and she managed to keep herself from flinching as he stared at her. She remained still, slitting her eyes to maintain her appearance of sleeping, hoping he would be deceived by this simple ruse. His hand slowly slid under the blankets to her hips and she felt the weight on the mat shift as he came closer to her, apparently wanting to cuddle or share warmth. Perhaps he wanted to...

To her surprise, Katara felt herself shiver a little. She hoped he didn't notice that slight tremble. But his hand remained where it was as he nestled close to her, his chin mere centimeters from her forehead. She could feel his chest against her loosely-folded arms, and felt his hand rub her hip gently.

She hated to admit it, but she found comfort in the closeness of his body, welcoming the heat that emanated from it as she pulled the comforter up to her chin. To her surprise, he slid his hand from her hip and gently tugged the blanket up a bit further, tucking her in. His hand caressed her face as she lay there, enjoying this gentle attention while at the same time feeling a bit annoyed at the fact that these kind gestures were... well, kind. It showed that he did have a side that could be... _nice_. It was a lot easier to hate him when he was just being his usual prickly, asshole-ish self.

_There's always tomorrow,_ she told herself. For now, she would simply bask in his warmth, and hopefully see Sokka and Aang tomorrow, and work on something that could get them all out of this situation.


	5. Trapped Woman

**Hot Water**

Chapter IV – Trapped Woman

o0o0o0o

Iroh yawned as he rose the next morning, stretching his arms over his head before he rolled out of bed. There was something he needed to discuss with his nephew – he had mulled over it the night before, considering what he would say. As he had breakfast and went through his morning ablutions and exercises, he wondered how Zuko might react. Well, it had to be said, so he made his way to the front deck, hoping that Zuko might be doing his exercises there. He was not disappointed.

The younger Prince only had a few more sets left, and he quickly completed them before acknowledging his uncle with a nod. As Zuko patted his face with a towel brought to him by one of the men, he stared off at the horizon, his expression distant. Iroh knew better to wait and let Zuko have the first word. There was clearly a lot on the younger Firebemnder's mind.

"It feels like such a long time ago. Since then." Zuko murmured. Iroh nodded. Two years was a long time, at least for some. For him it was not so long but for someone as young as his nephew, and exile only exacerbated it…

"It could have been worse…" he pointed out. The younger Firebender nodded in agreement albeit grudgingly. That statement was but a cold comfort to him, and the elder Prince was fully aware of that. "And you did learn a lot out here didn't you? There are lessons that cannot be learned in a Palace."

"I learned from the best." the scarred youth replied dryly.

"I try my best." the older man stated matter of factly. And it was nothing but the truth. He could do no less for his beloved nephew. "What do you think will happen now?" he asked. Zuko sighed softly and shrugged. Ever since two nights ago he had been asking himself the same thing.

"What do _you_ think will happen, Uncle?"

"I would be lying if I said I knew for sure."

"Do you...think...things will get better, Uncle?" the Prince asked. Iroh remained silent for a few moments, his hands folded in front of him as he looked out at the sky, feeling the breeze on his face.

"Could be. Could be not. You...have been gone for a long time, nephew."

"I know that and I wonder how much things have changed for the better or the worse…" he sighed, "hopefully we can get this over with soon."

"Don't be in such a rush to get there." Iroh said gently, reaching out to touch Zuko's shoulder.

"I don't like this. I have never liked being...so far from home." the younger Prince said quietly. Some days he desperately wished he had never spoken out in the war room so bad that he had actually considered hurting himself. But he had never actually gotten to that point, thank the spirits.

"But the world isn't so bad." Iroh pointed out with a smile his nephew did not see.

"You got to see many things. The towns, the villages, the natural wonders, the snow and the beautiful shores...Has it truly been so bad, Zuko?"

The Prince stared out for a while before answering.

"I'd rather have been home…where I had never spoken out in the war room, where I had never come to face my father, where I had never met Katara…"

Iroh blinked and shook his head. "Do you truly wish you had never met the girl? Or spoken out against an injustice?" he asked. He had enjoyed the girl's company, and that was what had made him worry. What would become of her in the long run? Ozai would never approve of Katara as more than a toy for Zuko's amusement and expect her to be discarded soon enough. He was certain his nephew was aware of that.

Zuko said nothing, wishing his uncle hadn't voiced what he had been thinking.

"I will not tell you what to do, Zuko, except that you should think things over carefully, consider everything before you make the final decision. Remember all the lessons you have learned, nephew. Use them well."

The younger male closed his eyes and took a deep breath as the old man continued, "I just want to tell you that you have grown up into a fine young man. I am proud of you. Your mother would have been proud of you as well."

"I barely even remember her." he replied bitterly.

"Your mother loved you with all her heart, Zuko. But you still have me. And now you have someone else too." Iroh said softly

"She hates me." Zuko replied angrily. Iroh shook her head, knowing that that wasn't too far from the truth, but he didn't blame Katara for the anger she felt at her predicament. He certainly didn't envy the Waterbender.

"The two of you are suited for eachother." he said with a knowing smirk.

"I wish I could believe that, Uncle. I don't even know why I want her in the first place. I wonder if I should just turn her loose and take in a different concubine when we get to the Fire Nation."

"Just because I am old does not mean I am blind." Iroh stared calmly, "Anything worth having is not easily gotten. Fights are normal in any relationship. And one of these pampered concubines might suit your father but not you."

"I'm sending the Avatar to the Fire Lord and she hates me for it. And then there's… what I did to her. That's more than just some lover's spat."

"Well, Katara cares for her friends. You would feel the same way if I were being sent to the same fate." he replied.

All Zuko could do was reply with a soft sigh and nod. Iroh could only stare at him quietly, and wished circumstances were different, not just for Zuko, but for him, for Katara, for Zuko's mother. It was as if the Fire Lords were destined to have a strange and violent legacy, a gift from Sozin himself. And the comet that was named after him was to soar through the heavens at the end of summer. The legacy of the Fire Lords weighed on his shoulders heavily and it felt like a burden he could never remove.

"Just follow your heart, Zuko. Remember what I said about the lessons."

Zuko turned around to stare at his uncle quietly, and Iroh simply bowed and left. The cool air ruffled his topknot and blew his robes around a bit. He closed his eyes, letting it caress his face and scalp. It had felt very good after the vigorous exercise he had earlier.

He had left Katara in his cabin, reading a book next to the window with the light of the morning sun illuminating the pages. This morning had been the same as before, with very few if any words between them. It could not go on forever. He wished he knew what to do. Already it seemed that every day was the same…rise from bed, eat, go down and check on his prisoners, train, command, eat, check on his prisoners, come to bed. And though Katara was in his presence much of the time, they barely spoke.

That argument had done more than just raise his hackles. They had raised questions as well. Questions that he was suspected weren't new.

He felt a little hungry, so decided to place an order for lunch and did so before going back to his suite. Katara looked up from her book upon hearing the lock hiss open, and he watched her for several moments before he headed towards the bed.

She said nothing, watching him flop down onto the comforter. She had been left alone all morning after breakfast, and had used that opportunity to explore the suite for means for escape. And she still had to see Sokka and Aang…after the fight she had not spoken to him except in response to his few questions. But that could not go on forever. It had been three days since her capture.

"You all right?" she asked gently as she looked at him.

"I'm tired." he said quietly and she nodded, deciding to strike up a conversation. Perhaps she could figure out a way to escape through her captor. Though she hadn't been outright hostile or defiant, she hadn't been warm or friendly either, and as much as she hated to admit it, perhaps sucking up to him might work.

"The Firebending practice looked like hard work." She had been impressed by what she saw, he an excellent warrior and Firebender. Although she couldn't help but feel a bit envious, for there had been no to teach her how to bend.

"I learned from the best." Zuko said, glad she was talking to him again. He liked the sound of her voice. She gently set down her book and walked over to the bed, sitting near him and lightly stroking his scalp. He couldn't help but smile a bit. It did feel good…

Gently, her fingers trailed along his scalp and his topknot, luxuriating in the thick black hair. Unconsciously he shivered a little as he looked up at her. From this perspective she looked stunning with her hair down, the thick brown tresses hanging over him like a tent.

Lifting an arm, he wrapped it around her waist, holding her close, basking in her presence. Katara curled up to him, simply savoring his embrace. She wished she could stay like this forever, but...she knew that she was just his slave and prisoner nothing more or less. Well, not exactly a slave, she was a concubine, according to him. Which was better, wasn't it? And would she ever truly be free? And did he even really care about her? She wasn't given opportunity to ask herself that as a knock was heard on the door along with someone announcing the arrival of food.

Zuko gently deposited her on the bed as he heard the rapping. He went to answer it and Katara heard tableware set down before the door shut again. She ventured into the sitting room and took her seat across the table from the prince and started eating with him.

He said nothing, eating quietly, apparently deep in thought. It was eerily beautiful how the flames played across Zuko's face, the fire and shadows made him seem more mysterious. He also...seemed sad and...regretful?

Katara decided to not ask any questions when she saw this and continued eating, savoring the thick, savory soup and salad. The wine was also very good, flavored with a fruit she could not identify. She finished and put her plate down, waiting for him.

He finished and dabbed his lips with a napkin before he glanced at her her, and she found herself staring back at him. He rose from the table and took her hands into his own, kissing them gently and she blinked and stared up at him. He squeezed them and started to kiss them again, nuzzling them in what she could only describe as a reverent manner.

Feeling overwhelmed and confused by his gentleness, she started to pull her hands away but he held firm, gazing at her intently. She quickly looked away, but caught the look on his face just before she did so.

Zuko had looked back at her with what she could only describe as a sad and wistful look in his eyes. She shivered as he gently caressed her jaw and he smiled faintly before he kissed her cheek gently. Katara could not help but lean into the kiss a bit., enjoying the heat of his lips.

"I'm glad you're here with me." he said softly when he pulled back, "I truly have missed you." His hand trailed down her jaw to her shoulder.

"I need you." he whispered, his low tone making it clear just what he needed her for. She nodded weakly as his hand reached back up to touch her cheek. When he took her hand, she rose off the cushion gracefully, following him to bed without a word of protest. She supposed she could try to fight him off, but right now she did not feel like fighting, and she really wanted to see Sokka and Aang. She approached the bed and turned around, looking up at him quietly. He held her gaze, tugging the sash untied so the robe opened and he saw the soft valley between her breasts, his eyes trailing down her stomach to the waistband of her pants before he looked back up at her face.

The Waterbender was beautiful and entranced him like no other woman, not even the lovely pampered concubines and noblewomen of the Court could compare. He could simply dismiss this by telling himself that it was simply the novelty of her exotic appearance, or that she was a Waterbender, but that reasoning felt hollow to him.

She stood there quietly as he slid his robe off her shoulders, running his hands down her bare arms and feeling her tremble slightly. Upon noticing her downcast gaze, he took her into his arms, holding her close as he nuzzled and kissed her.

The azure-eyed girl expected him to want to take her soon, since his arousal was rather evident, but he took his time, letting his hands slide along her body, exploring it. Though she tried to distance herself, letting her mind wander as her body complied with his desires, she could not help but enjoy his eager attentions.

She moaned softly, her nails digging into the blankets as he moved within her fiercely, letting out soft gasps as he kept up a firm pace.

Zuko hissed softly, feeling the fire rise from deep within and he lifted his chin, spitting out some fire. He wanted her to enjoy this, and he could see that despite her attempts to cut herself off from this mentally, his attentions had been impossible for her to ignore. It pleased him that he was able to draw out a response from her, even though it wasn't as enthusiastic as he wanted, but he let her be.

Afterward, he remained on top of her though he propped himself up on his elbows so that she would be comfortable, and gazed down at her as she lay there, catching her breath. Her hair was now rumpled loosely, and he closed his fist around a bunch of it, feeling the thick tresses between his fingers. She stared off to the side with half-lidded eyes, but when he gently turned her face up, she did not resist. When he leaned his face down to kiss her, she even angled her face so he could have better access, and he was content to simply nuzzle and touch her for a while before he became aroused again.

He flipped her over onto her chest and knees. She moaned as he squeezed her rear end and let his hands rove hungrily along her side and stomach, realizing that he was far from done…

o0o0o0o

Katara's eyes opened slowly, feeling warmth surrounding her…but not the kind of warmth that had been there when she had dozed off into a nap after Zuko had taken her.

"Glad to see you are awake." a kind voice stated and she yelped, pulling the blankets over her chin, making sure she was decent so to speak. She blinked and stared over the hem of the blankets at Iroh, who was standing in the doorway to the bedroom with a small smile on his face.

She wondered how long he had been there. As if he read her mind he chuckled softly before pointing to the foot of the bed, where she saw some clothes laid out for her and he disappeared, going into the other room to give her privacy.

She pushed down the sheets and scampered to the foot of the mattress, seeing a different set of clothes. They looked as if they belonged to Zuko, and she knew they would be oversize like the robe. Well it wasn't as if she had expected a wardrobe of women's clothes on the ship…

It was a top and pants combination, and loose but quite comfortable. The pants were gray, and the long-sleeved tunic was a dark red color, and both were of simple but comfortable linen.

She got out of bed, wincing a bit as she felt the soreness between her legs. He had been rather pasisonate, although she now knew that she did not have to be afraid of his fierceness. When he was completely spent, he had pulled her close, nuzzling her gently, and he had murmured several things, among them that he was never going to hurt her and that she need not be afraid. His words had reassured her, but only on a minimal level. After all, he was still taking the Avatar back to the Fire Lord. A glance at the windows revealed that it was early evening, the sky still fairly light.

Iroh was waiting for her in the sitting room with a light supper all ready, empty plates and covered dishes waiting for her.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked kindly. Katara blinked and blushed a little but she managed a yes. What Zuko had done to her pretty much wore her out, but the nap had felt good.

"You young people." he teased, wagging his finger. She blushed, looking down. He was nice...but she couldn't help but feel embarrassed. He shot her a reassuring smile before pouring her some tea.

"Thank you." she said softly as she drank it. Supper with him was pleasant as she expected, though she felt sad that she couldn't have her meals with her brother and best friend. As if he read her mind, Iroh looked up at her with an unreadable smile.

"After we finish eating, I am taking you down to see them. Zuko is not here because he is overseeing inventory, figuring out what we need to buy once we dock in Mentat. We will land there in a couple of days." he explained.

"I wish...that they could eat with us." Katara replied softly, poking at her food with the chopstick. Iroh said nothing, simply nodding just a bit.

"At least Zuko listened to you and improved their accommodations. He...cares about you a lot, Katara."

"Then why must he not listen to me about their fate? Why am I his prisoner?" _And why did he hurt me?_ she wanted to add.

"Zuko is very stubborn. In some ways he is very much like his father. His honor is very important to him as well as his home and birthright." Iroh replied as he regarded her, seeing the mixture of emotions on her young face.

It was unheard of for a Fire Nation royal to have a Water Tribe woman as a concubine, especially when there were so many ladies within the Nation who were eager to share the bed of a Prince. Even though before, over a century ago the nations lived in harmony, there was an unspoken rule that barred the people of different nations from marrying. The mixing of the Nations, especially between people of Bending ability…it was practically a taboo. Especially between Fire and Water – those two elements represented the opposite forces of nature and out of all the pairings, this one was the most volatile. They were not supposed to mix.

Iroh wondered if he should just turn Katara loose. He knew that Zuko would face criticism from his own father for this if it was ever revealed that Zuko had genuine feelings for her. He could not help but worry about what would happen to Zuko…or Katara should this be discovered. Knowing Ozai, the Fire Lord would probably take Katara for himself and toy with her a bit or toss her to the shark pit of nobles for his own cruel amusement, just because she was not of the Fire Nation. He was pretty sure Zuko was aware of this, but he just had to be sure…a talk with his nephew was in order. He would do whatever he could do to help his beloved nephew, but Zuko had to do his own part.

The Dragon of the West sighed softly, torn between standing up to his nephew or helping him. Katara sipped at her tea and finished her food, primly setting down her chopsticks. He simply smiled at her, carefully masking his thoughts.

"Why don't we go visit your friends?" Iroh said with a smile as he stretched a bit. It was odd hearing him talk about it as if it was a mere pleasant visit to a neighbor's home or some such, and made the situation feel a bit unreal. She said nothing as she waited for him to unlock the door, and he escorted her through some of the ship first, giving her a brief tour.

It was such a magnificent vessel now that she got to actually see it. And it certainly was nice getting out of the cabin.

The guards regarded her with curiosity, eyes following her as she trailed behind Iroh. None of them were hostile to her but still…she could practically see their curiosity and amusement written all over their faces. _What is she doing here, walking around freely? She is of the Water Tribes!_ And they also had to know or at least guess at what her new position was because of the clothes she wore and the fact that she was not kept in the cells. But at the same time they respected Iroh and said nothing.

Finally, he led her down a stairway and a couple of corridors, stopping in front of a door that had two guards on either side of it. They opened the door upon the old man's command, and he ushered her inside.

Her eyes widened upon seeing her brother and her friend and she rushed to the bars of the cell and looked at them. Both of them had their hands heavily shacked despite the fact that they were already caged. Zuko certainly was not taking any chances…

She breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing there were no signs of abuse. The blankets and empty trays of food along with their plain but clean gray tunics and trousers told her that Zuko had been true to his word but she still wanted to talk to them.

Katara approached tentatively as she placed one of her hands on the bars. Both boys peered at her almost as if she was some sort of exotic specimen, curiosity written all over their young features as they pressed against the bars, trying to reach for her despite their shackles. She could see the questions on their faces, and exclaimed softly to delay the inevitable.

"I've been so worried about you! I couldn't sleep, and prayed to the spirits that you were well!" She squeezed the hands that were touching her own, taking comfort in physical contact with them.

"Are you okay?" Aang asked. All she could do was sigh and nod mutely.

"I'm more worried about you than I am about myself." she admitted frankly.

"You can get us out." Aang said. Katara sighed softly, knowing Iroh was probably listening so she leaned in as far as she could.

"I'm trying." she whispered softly, "I'm locked up all of the time and haven't been able to find anything, but I am not going to give up. We still have time before we get to the Fire Nation yet. I'm trying, I really am. But I am as much a prisoner as you are." _And more than that_, she thought bitterly.

"But..." Sokka glanced at his sister, hesitant to express his own concerns. She was clad in a comfortable-looking tunic and pants that from the fit on her body, had to belong to Zuko. _Spirits, don't let it be true._

He had heard a comment here and there from the guards outside about 'Zuko's pretty Water Tribe prisoner' and whether Water Tribe women were as 'warm' as Fire Nation girls or if they were as cold as their element, and the tone of their voices did not portend well. To think that his sister was being violated by that scarred sonavabitch or his men...

The sudden downcast glance of Katara's eyes confirmed his worst fears.

"Katara..." Sokka's breath hitched in his throat, and he felt the sudden urge to wrap his hands around Zuko's scrawny neck and just _twist_ until that bald, scarred head popped. "I'll kill him if it's the last thing I do!" he promised with a hiss, clenching his teeth as he squeezed her hand.

"Please." she whispered. Shame was etched on her face, and he could see her eyes glaze over with tears.

"Katara... what's wrong? What happened?" Aang asked, entirely innocent of the knowledge of what went on between men and women.

"You don't want to know, Aang. Believe me, you don't." Her voice cracked as she tried to hold back a sob. "I don't want to talk about it..."

"What did Zuko do to you?" the youth asked, his eyes wide. Sokka glanced over at him, frowning and shaking his head pointedly, his heart breaking for his sister. The Fire Nation had killed his mother and others in his village and only the gods knew how many other people in the world, and now for them to do this to his darling baby sister...

"I pray for the spirits to preserve me, to preserve you... it's so hard." Her grip became white-knuckled as she held onto their hands, drawing up whatever comfort and strength she could from them. She gulped back a sob and took a deep breath. "I will keep trying, I swear. I wish I was down here with you rather than up there. Please don't look at me like that, Sokka..." she said, cringing from the pity and horror she saw on his face.

"Katara, how could I blame you for the whims of the Fire Nation? Please..." He sought to make eye contact, but his sister kept her eyes averted, as if she considered herself too degraded and shamed to look at him. When she started to pull her hands away, both boys held on hard, trying to keep her with them. "Katara, look at me. Look at us."

"I can't." She jerked away from them, letting out a quiet sob before spinning around and dashing out of the room, streaking past a surprised Iroh.

o0o0o0o

As soon as the young Waterbender bolted past him, the retired general took after her, and found her in the next hallway, struggling against two guards that were restraining her, holding her arms. He did not give them the command to release her until she was within his reach, and as soon as the men let go, he grabbed Katara's arm so she could not flee.

"Katara..." He was alarmed to see the tears on her face, and drew her into a tight embrace, for both comfort and restraint.

"Leave me alone!" She struggled against him, trying to elbow her way out, but being a seasoned general, Iroh was no stranger to the ways of combat.

"Please calm down. I am not your enemy. Why don't we go back to my cabin, and we can talk."

"Talk about what? The fact that you're just sitting by and letting your stupid, bratty nephew take the Avatar and my brother to the Fire Nation? Or the fact that you're just fine with Zuko capturing a woman for his own use!"

"Katara..." He sounded genuinely hurt, but she was too angry to care. Who the hell cared about his stupid feelings when he couldn't be bothered to step in and do anything for any of them?

"If you're not going to help me, just go away."

"Is that what you really want? To be alone?"

"Better than being with you or anyone else on this damned ship!" she shot back acidly. He let out a low sigh.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk to me? I will listen."

"Didn't you hear what I said?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Very well." He gazed down at her sorrowfully, and that only served to further irritate her. Slowly, he let go, and she refused to make eye contact or even look in his direction as he led her back to his nephew's cabin. Only when he locked the door did he hear her cry openly, her heart-rending sobs penetrating the thick metal. With regret and guilt in his heart, he turned away from the door.


	6. Blood And Gold

Hot Water

Chapter V – Blood and Gold

o0o0o0o

If there was ever a sore spot for the Fire Lord, it was his son. Zuko was weak, even as a child. He could see it in the boy's eyes. A certain gleam of... kindness and empathy that he despised. His older brother had the same light in his eyes, a certain inclination towards justice and fairness. It had been what spurred Zuko to speak out in the War Room. He hoped that the scar and banishment would destroy that light and hone his son into a more suitable heir.

Of course, he could always breed more. He was a virile male, with a harem full of lovely concubines who attended to his whims. It was something he had considered before, knowing that the matter of a heir was serious business. Zuko's younger sister, Azula, had died before her first birthday, but it mattered none since she was just a girl. One of his concubines had given birth to a son a few years ago, providing a spare should Zuko die. However, that little boy had toddled away from his nurse's supervision and fallen into a pond, ending his short life – as well as the life of his mother and nurse.

His grandfather, father, and himself had failed to capture the Avatar. It'd been over two years, and his son seemed fated to follow his ancestors in this futile quest despite the fact that the Avatar was now known to be alive and well. And the reports said he was a mere child. Either his son was so pathetic that he couldn't capture a mere child, or this child's Avatar powers kept him out of Zuko's grasp. He sincerely prayed that it was the latter.

It irritated him to receive reports of how the Avatar interfered with the Fire Nation, such as when he had freed all these Earth Kingdom prisoners from their prison, or his destruction of Avatar Roku's temple, or some other such crap. He didn't know whether to be relieved or annoyed at the confirmation of the Avatar's existence, remembering his own failed mission.

Now, if his son actually managed to capture the Avatar and bring him home, the Fire Nation would be assured in its victory. Surely Agni himself would lead Zuko on the right path.

o0o0o0o

In a noisy tavern on the northwest coast of the Great Continent, a lone, hooded figure sat at a table while a middle-aged and burly man sat across from him. A bag of gold was pushed across the table.

"You get the rest once you finish the job." the pirate said as he glanced at the shrouded man.

"Should be easy 'nough." The bag disappeared under the stranger's cloak.

"I'd hope so." the pirate replied dryly. "I came to you because of your reputation, after all."

"Ey, 's nice to know that my reputation precedes me." He smirked, the twist of his lips visible from just under his hood. Most of his clients and victims were Earth Kingdom, but he welcomed the opportunity to take down a Fire Nation bastard – especially the son of the Fire Lord. It was jobs like this that made his job as an assassin all the worthwhile. He nodded to his client briefly, ignoring the garish green creature on the man's shoulder as he rose from the table.

o0o0o0o

The next day, when Iroh came to check on her, Katara had calmed down. It was almost as if the events in the brig of the ship had never happened, but the Waterbender now regarded him with silence and distant politeness. Over the last few days, he had tried valiantly to cheer her up, telling her stories and bringing games. She listened to him politely and was a competent enough opponent after he taught her the rules of this game or that, but she regarded both him and his nephew with a detached manner.

For Katara, it had been easy to simply cut herself off from everything. Rather than look forward to Iroh's visits, or Zuko's attentions, she regarded both as a obligation, even. If she made any comments towards either man, it was in response to something they said, or a carefully asked question to help her glean a way she could escape from this ship and help her family while dealing with her conflicting feelings.

She _was_ Zuko's concubine. And as much as she hated to admit it, she had enjoyed their intimate moments. Zuko was a passionate lover, one that knew how to make her body respond to his in a most positive way. Did that make her a betrayer of her people? She was still his prisoner and she was still upset with the whole hostage situation, it was not as if she willingly went to him and offered herself!

So the last few days had been spent in the refuge of the cabin. When she was alone, she explored Zuko's quarters, still determined to break free of her captivity, and she also spent good time honing her reading skills. It was a good mental challenge for herself, learning new words and in turn, new ideas – hopefully she would glean something that would give her some sort of brilliant idea. She of course had not told Zuko about the fact that she had not been able to read too well to begin with. What were reading skills to the Water Tribes, when survival was more important? But now it wasn't survival she was contending with, it was boredom and her own worries and fears.

She knew that Iroh was genuinely being nice to her, and she found herself wanting to respond to that, but it was hard when he was being complicit with his nephew's mission and deeds. Now, if he had been a Water Tribe man, she would have been happy to see him as her uncle and treat him as such. Why did such a kind person like Iroh have to be on the wrong side in this War?

The young Waterbender moved a tile across the board, barely circumnavigating his White Lotus tile, and feeling satisfied at this small victory. Just as he was about to respond with a move of his own, the door opened, and the older Firebender regarded his nephew with a smile. She also looked up, but did not smile as she regarded him quietly. He looked dressed up, wearing a breastplate that looked as if it had just been polished.

"We will dock in Mentat in less than a hour." Zuko stated as he looked down at them, "and we will spend two nights."

"Wonderful. We've not been there since last year, and there was this one especially grand tea-house..." Iroh reminisced fondly as he stroked his beard.

Uncle looked happy to be going to Mentat, but Katara regarded him with a guarded expression, and Zuko stared right back at her. She had seemed withdrawn for the last few days, but she had refused to tell him, or even try to fight him off whenever he wished to be intimate with her. Iroh had told him about the soldiers whispering about the Waterbender, and the fact that her brother had caught wind of it. But Zuko did not care about such news. What import was it to him? Katara was his concubine, and that was that. The men could get their own when they returned to the Fire Nation.

"Give me some time alone with Katara, meet me outside when we dock." Zuko asked Iroh. The older man inclined his head before taking his leave.

The Prince turned back to Katara before going into his study and returning with a bag, handing it to the girl. It was red velvet with a pull-string and she opened it, seeing the glint of silver.

"One hundred silver, like I promised you. I am a man of my word." he stated. She nodded slowly, remembering his promise. But the presence of this money – more than she had ever held or seen in her entire life – did not comfort her. She felt like a prostitute, paid for 'services' that she hadn't even wanted to render.

"You will be well-provided for in Sozun, but you can buy yourself a few things in Mentat. Whatever you might like – books, trinkets, the like. Of course, you should buy a few women's clothing for now, though I can hardly complain about how you look in my clothing. Dark red suits you well."

She blushed, looking down as she cursed him silently. He smirked and lifted her chin back up with a finger, lowering his head and pressing his lips against hers in a gentle kiss.

"I want you very much right now...but, tonight..." he let the promise trail off with a seductive purr. He noticed with satisfaction that she shivered a little. _Yes, Katara, desire me..._

"I have to make some last minute preparations, but Uncle and I will be right back here as soon as we land." he promised. She nodded quietly.

"Iroh will accompany you, he loves to shop. Before I got to know him well, I thought shopping was strictly a woman's hobby…"

"Your mother enjoyed shopping, even when she had to buy clothes for someone who dirtied his own by playing in the mud…" Iroh shot back with a smile as he entered the room again. Zuko blinked and shook his head as he scowled, which caused the older Firebender to simply shrug and chuckle.

"Katara will accompany you." Zuko told him, "Make sure she buys the appropriate clothing she needs. But don't go overboard, she only needs a few outfits for now."

"I will I will, hopefully she has much better tastes than you, nephew." Iroh teased. Zuko scoffed as the two of them left, locking the door behind them.

o0o0o0o

Sometimes Zuko wondered about his uncle, he thought with a bemused smile as they did a quick review of the inventory. He took the scroll and tucked it into his belt, it was his shopping list so to speak. Unlike his uncle, Zuko was practical when it came to shopping, and only cared about provisions, not amusements or trinkets. He would be accompanying his soldiers and Jee as they went to the dry goods shops, and supervising the loading of supplies onto the ship

He dismissed his uncle as the ship's ramp lowered. Iroh seemed happy enough as it was to be able to shop in such a large city like Mentat. The city was a success story, having existed only for a couple of decades and growing quickly as it was a important stop on trading routes. With a large permanent population on top of its merchants and soldiers, Mentat gave the Fire Nation a strong foothold on the Great Continent.

Iroh fetched Katara and followed soon later. Zuko wasn't worried about Katara attempting to escape, as she would be with Iroh and a small group of soldiers – who would bear the unfortunate task of carrying whatever trinkets and other crap his uncle wanted to buy – because she would not leave Sokka and Aang behind, it was that simple. She was too loyal to them, and of course, Uncle and the soldiers would all be keeping an eye on her.

Katara followed Iroh mutely, with one guard following her more closely than the others, apparently just to make sure she didn't try to run off. Iroh looked back at her and gave her a friendly smile. She blinked and smiled back warily. She didn't want to admit it, but his smiles were warm and cheerful, and again wished they were on the same side in the War.

"So. Um, where do we go?" she asked with curiosity. He chuckled to himself knowingly, a gleam in his eye that caused the soldiers around them to wince. Katara noted their reaction before Iroh dragged them into a curio shop just to their left. She had never imagined so many kinds of exotic-looking things in one place, and gazed around with wonder.

And Iroh? Giddy was the only word to describe him. The soldiers actually looked fearful, and with reason as she would soon find out. This usually dignified and genial man looked like a child in a sweet shop. He was like Sokka on a sugar rush, she noticed with a bemused smile. She browsed around on her own while the guards kept an eye on her. She ignored them since it felt good to look at something other than four metal walls.

She saw many pretty things that caught her eye but she wasn't giddy like Iroh and ended up only buying a couple of books and scrolls. A silver bracelet wrought in the pattern of waves caught her eye and she was tempted to buy it, but she declined. How could she think of trinkets at a time like this? A weapon would be a more practical choice, but when Iroh caught her glancing at a display of daggers, he firmly led her away, directing her to look at a pretty display of sashes and scarves. While the silks and satins were pleasant to the touch and the patterns interesting, she did not buy anything.

Iroh, on the other hand was going all out and the guards looked as if they were having their teeth pulled out. The more the aged general bought, the more they had to carry. She couldn't help but giggle as she watched Iroh buy what seemed like everything in sight, and they left the store with quite a load, but the night was far from over.

"The concubine of the Fire Prince needs proper clothing to wear." he said with an almost fatherly smile, as if he was shopping for his favorite child. Katara blushed furiously, knowing that the soldiers heard this, and it would end up on the tip of every soldier's tongue, and down in the cells too... It was bad enough that the men were guessing what Zuko wanted her for, but Iroh had confirmed it for them, and she really wished he hadn't blurted that out, however kindly or innocently he might have said it.

Katara sighed softly, but she said nothing as he led her into a tailor's shop, and Iroh drove the shopkeepers crazy with specifications for clothes. After Katara was measured, she was set loose and wandered around, looking at different bolts of fabrics and finished robes, finding a few that she liked, especially one of a deep royal blue, made of a fine linen. It surprised her that such an article of clothing would be found in a Fire Nation merchant's shop. The color was beautiful and she decided to part with a few of her coins to have it. Before she could buy it, Iroh noticed her interest and merely grabbed it, adding it to his list of purchases despite her insistence that she could pay for it herself.

"You look so nice in blue, and you should have something other than red in your wardrobe! I am sure that my nephew would agree, don't you think?" he asked. She nodded faintly.

Well, at least he had saved her a bit of money. If she was to escape with Sokka and Aang, they would need all the money they could get, and this silver would come in handy. She had only spent a couple of pieces on her books, and with her guardian's generosity, decided to pocket the rest of her money for later.

Iroh also placed orders for more bolts of fabric and sewing kits for inventory, to maintain the soldier's uniforms among other things, but that was not the end of their shopping trip. For the old man, the night was long from over and the soldiers held back groans as Iroh pointed out another shop to visit, filled with more curios. Katara was actually feeling bad for the guards, and glanced down at her own meager purchases, which had been bundled together by the shopkeeper, and now sat under her arm, snug against her side.

This time, Katara found a mah jongg set that she thought Sokka and Aang might use. It would relieve the boredom of the cells and give her a chance to spend time with them with a pleasant diversion.

"Iroh? Could I send this down to Sokka and Aang?" she asked softly. He nodded and she smiled when they left the store and she saw a man with a cart at the corner, selling hot sweet rolls. The night was just a bit crisp, so she bought one, letting the roll warm her fingers before she ate it out of the paper wrapper, wishing that she could get Sokka and Aang some of this delectable, cinnamon-flavored treat.

Iroh simply walked on, his hands folded in front of him, a smile on his face. He also bought dinner for all of them at a tavern and Katara had a chance to try a new dish, though she found it a bit too spicy for her tastes.

After a while, Iroh could see Katara was getting tired, so he promised to take her back to the ship and drop her off. After all, they would be here for a couple more days and Zuko was sure to let her out again the next day. She had behaved so well tonight, making no attempt to escape and he would be sure to tell Zuko this. He himself wasn't finished for the night, since he wanted to go gambling.

The soldiers promised to make sure she would be safe while in this town especially when it got dark, for that was the time when the shady elements were out and about. After one more stop, Iroh took Katara back to the ship and put her into Zuko's cabin before going back out. The Water Tribe girl didn't complain, she welcomed the silence and darkness, even the solitude.

o0o0o0o

Mentat was one of the few places anywhere that Zuko's would-be assassin was still welcome in, which was fine with him, since its criminal element could and would cater to his desires every single time he entered the town.

There was of course the fact that this was also a very corrupt city when one knew where to look. Nobody, not even the constables wanted to bring him in, not when he could simply move through the night and kill them all if he so desired it. It was his reputation, and one that he had kept up successfully for so long. He was the outcast, the pariah, the black sheep of the Fire Nation, the 'dishonored one' they called him.

He didn't care, he never had and he never would care about the Fire Lord or anybody else thought of him. He didn't care what his own parents had thought, and had been all too willing to kill them.

Money on the other hand, now that was what he cared about and so when the pirates paid him to take out the Prince of the Fire Nation... why the hell not.

He'd simply infiltrate and kill Zuko first chance he got, and smirked to himself as he watched Iroh walk around with a large amount of money, having won much of it in a game of Pai Sho at one of the tea-houses that also served as a gambling parlor. The old man had a couple of guards with him, and from his expression, was clearly in a rather good mood. Fat old bastard.

He smirked cruelly as he fell in behind them. The whole Fire Nation was a bunch of bloody idiots as far as he was concerned, self-serving idiots who only cared about what lined their coffers and the power they held over the other nations. The only thing that mattered was himself. After all, if nobody cared about him, then why should he care? All that mattered was money and the good life.

He followed silently until he got his chance, and grabbed one of the masked guards into the shadows of an alley before he quickly broke the unsuspecting soldier's neck and changed into the dead man's uniform. He smirked coldly as he put on the helmet, pulling down the mask. How ironic that he was putting on a soldier's uniform after he had disavowed the Fire Nation.

And if they discovered him? Well, he was always itching for a fight, they were fun. He just loved to piss off people. He stepped in with the other guards flawlessly, observing Iroh. The old man was a fool. But he couldn't strike right now. He wished he could, after all patience wasn't his strongest suit. But there were other things he could do.

After a bit, he found the brat outside that barge they called a ship. The soldiers were loading supplies up the ship while Zuko looked at a scroll he had in his hands, checking off a list while convening with a soldier here and there. There were several large piles near the ship, but they were slowly dwindling as the soldiers moved them onto the ship and the Prince watched the scene casually as the supplies were being loaded. Ah, such a perfect opportunity for him! In his stolen uniform, he went undetected.

o0o0o0o

Zuko wondered how Katara and Iroh were doing, hoping they were having a good time, wondering if they were still up at this hour. He was not worried about the girl trying to bolt. She was honor-bound, and would not leave the Avatar or her brother behind.

When the supplies were fully loaded, he dismissed most of the soldiers to go out and enjoy the town for the night. There would be a few more supplies to be picked up tomorrow, but for now the work was over. He himself had no desire to go out gambling or drinking, and he already had a woman.

He walked up the ramp and into his cabin, not thinking Katara was here, but he heard a splash of water. He silently walked over to his washroom, seeing a curious sight bathed in the wan moonlight that made its way through the slitted window, all blacks and blues and silver.

Katara was bathing in the small tub that sat near the shower, playing with a water whip, waving her arms slowly, guiding it around the tub. He blinked and stared at her quietly as his eyes grew accustomed to the darkness.

She played for a bit, not knowing she was being watched, and concentrated on the snake, curling it into tight waves, rippling the water as she tried a new trick. She was not sure how this would be practical but it was something to do. She felt a slight prickle on the back of her neck and looked up slowly, seeing the figure standing there in the semidarkness. She yelped softly, losing her concentration and the 'snake' lost its form, dropping back into the water as a bit of it splashed out of the tub onto the floor.

Katara felt a bit nervous as she eyed him. After that argument after her escape attempt, he had made no reference to her Bending skills whatsoever, and she had not Bended in front of him. She rested her hands on her knees, concentrating on her breathing to calm herself as she stared at the Prince.

"You... were..." he said quietly, closing the door and looking at her.

"I'm sorry." Katara said softly, looking down, wondering of he was going to give her a scolding or worse.

"For what? It was enticing." he said softly. She blinked, looking back at him. He thought of her abilities like that? She sat there mutely as he moved closer, a faint smile on his face.

"So...you're not mad at me for Bending?"

"I'd... like to watch again." Zuko said softly. After a moment, she nodded and drew another water whip out of the water, letting it slither through the air slowly.

The Prince watched and smiled as she let it wind its way towards him slowly, almost as if in invitation. He watched it hover in the air, creating a fire whip and making it intertwine with the water, but at the same time he concentrated hard to ensure that the water would not boil away. The light of the flames reflected off the sinuous form of the water, and Katara stared at this display, almost forgetting to concentrate as she manipulated her element.

After a bit, the fire 'snake' slowly constricted around its counterpart, boiling it away even as it itself died down and there was nothing left. She blinked and smiled back at him shyly.

"You are beautiful. What you do is beautiful."

"Thank you…" she said softly as he came closer to the tub and she looked up at him. He leaned down and his lips brushed against hers in a gentle caress andshe moaned softly as he deepened the kiss. After a few moments, he slowly lifted his head and his eyes seemed to glow in the darkness.

Suddenly he stuck his hand in the water, heating it up. The water had been cool before because she couldn't bend fire and couldn't heat the cistern, but she didn't mind because living in the South Pole had gotten her used to cold. But the hot water did feel very nice, and she was unable to hold back a soft moan of pleasure.

He smiled, and with a bit of effort removed his armor since he was doing it himself, setting it on the ground. She watched as he removed his boots and unlaced his padded corselet, letting it slide down so that only his gray shirt and pants remained.

She felt the warm tingle between her legs when he started removing this as well and her eyes moved up and down his toned body. Was it so bad being a concubine with a body like that to play with? As soon as that thought came to her, she berated herself for it. She had been thinking about him in soft ways sometimes, and always felt horribly guilty later.

He looked at her as he squeezed into the tub and smiled at her softly, raising his hand to light one of the lamps, giving the room a warm, shadowy feeling. She shivered at the thought and smiled as he started washing himself with the soap, her knees pressing against his.

There was no room for luxury on the ship, so the shower and tub were both small and functional. He looked forward to returning to the elegant washrooms of the royal suites, where the large marble tubs could easily host a single royal and several others, should he choose. But he wasn't going to complain about his current arrangements, and gently tugged Katara's arm, positioning her so that her back was to his chest and she was nestled between his legs, her head against his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her.

Katara had imagined that she might share lazy, intimate moments like this with her future husband, whoever he might be, and closed her eyes as her captor placed gentle kisses and nuzzles along the side of her face.

"Have you washed yourself?" he murmured. She nodded.

"In the cold water?"

"I grew up at the South Pole. Fuel was too precious to waste on bathwater." There were times she had been lucky enough to be able to heat a pot of water over the fire and use that to give herself a warm sponge bath, and there was the steam hut that the women used, but that had been the limit of her experience until she left the South Pole.

"I see." His voice was calm and conversational. "But you like this hot bath, don't you?"

"Yes. It is very comfortable." she admitted.

"Then just relax." He lightly ran his fingers along her cheek, and she nodded. She wasn't sure how long they remained in the water, since he kept the water heated, but as long as he was silent and comfortable, so was she. His embrace remained gentle, and she relaxed against him, feeling his heartbeat against her back.

She slowly became aware of him jiggling her gently, grasping her arms as he did so. She blinked a couple of times, orienting herself, taking longer than normal because of the soporific effect of the heat.

"I hope you didn't fall asleep." he teased her gently. She shook her head.

"The water just feels so good... and soothing..." Her voice was thick and drowsy, and he chuckled softly.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. Go dry off and get dressed for the night. Come back, I need you to wash my back."

The azure-eyed girl nodded, and he was patient as he helped her out of the tub, making no demands for her to hurry up, and she noted that her fingertips were wrinkled, a phenomenon she knew did not occur until one had been in the water for an considerable amount of time. She changed into the comfortable linen pajama set Iroh had bought her, pulling a robe on over that before returning to his side. He pressed a sponge into her hands and leaned forward, exposing his back.

For a moment, Katara imagined having her revenge against him for the things he had done to her in the past. After all, this was a Firebender in a tub of water. Perfect opportunity for a Waterbender, no? But she shook her head free of such thoughts, knowing that trying to harm him, much less kill him, would make things worse for everybody. So she knelt at the edge of the tub with the sleeves of her robe rolled up to her elbows. With firm and steady hands, she rubbed and sponged his back, attentive to his reactions and words, relieved when he had no complaints about her administrations.

Zuko closed his eyes, shivering then relaxing as he felt her graceful fingers move along the taut flesh andshe even threw in a gentle massage, helping to soothe the sore muscles of his back and neck. Mmm. One of the jobs of a concubine was keeping her master pleased, and not just sexually. She might even be called upon for simple things like serving tea, or playing a game with her master.

"You may stop." he whispered after a while, and she set down the sponge gently. He looked at her over his shoulder, an expression of contentment on his features as he regarded her.

"Next time you decide to take a bath, let me know." he murmured, imagining his hands sliding down her back, massaging her. He hadn't done so tonight because he was tired and was in a mood to be the one receiving the pampering. She nodded slowly, blushing a little as he stood up and stepped out of the tub. Without being prompted, she handed him a towel.

"Go to bed, make yourself comfortable." He spoke to her gently, and she wished that he would always be that way with her. Like this, he sounded... well, _normal_. Not the usual prickly, angst-ridden brat he often was. She nodded again and left. He dried himself off before putting on a tunic and loose pants, standing at the edge of the mat for a moment as he gazed down at the Waterbender curled up under his blankets. When he reached out to stroke her hair, she lay there relaxed, staring up at him with half-lidded eyes.

Iroh had bought Katara a chest as a gift, and it now sat in the corner of Zuko's bedchamber. She had put in all of her new clothes, right after Iroh had locked her in for the night. And as Zuko looked up, he noticed the chest. It was exquisite, black lacquered with intricate designs along the corners and edges of the box as well as a touch of goldwork.

He stared at it for a few moments before crawling off the bed towards the chest and opened it slowly, looking at the contents inside with the help of a lamp. It was about half-full, with practical articles of clothing and undergarments, along with the few books that Katara had purchased. Tucked away in the corner was the silver he had given her.

Katara said nothing, sitting up as he opened it, looking at the items inside and taking several things out with care as he examined her new possessions.

"They're beautiful." Zuko said quietly as he examined some of the robes. While most of the clothes were comfortable and functional linen or cotton, Iroh had chosen a couple of nice silk and satin gowns and tunics. The entire wardrobe came in an assortment of reds and blacks with the single exception of the blue robe that had caught her eye.

"Thank you. But your uncle picked them out. Well, except for the blue one."

She said nothing as Zuko examined the clothes, and as he looked at the outfits he imagined his Waterbender in them. She would look exquisite in some of these clothes, he mused as he looked at a red and gold silk robe. He continued rifling through the chest, ignoring the undergarments and toiletries before pulling out a red silk robe with black roses sewn on the hem and sleeves, pausing as he stared at the pattern. Why was this robe so disconcertingly familiar?

Katara noted the perplexed expression on his face as he held the robe that Iroh had given her. Before he put her in here, he had taken a quick detour to his own room, giving her a couple of his books as well as this beautiful red silk robe with the fancy black threadwork. She knew this hadn't been part of their purchases tonight, and had wondered what he would be doing with this robe in his possession. Whatever the reason, she had thanked him and taken his gifts.

"Where did you get this robe?" he asked softly.

"Iroh gave it to me." she replied honestly. Zuko blinked and looked at the robe again, studying the rose pattern, knowing he had seen it elsewhere.

Katara had no idea that this robe had belonged to Zuko's mother.

"Put it on." he ordered, holding it out to her. There was something odd about his tone, but she detected no anger or hostility. She nodded quietly and got off the mat, sliding off her own plain robe before picking up the proffered garment and putting it on carefully. It was just a bit big for her, but then she was only fourteen. Most of the clothes Iroh had bought for her fit a bit loosely though they were still comfortable and suited for her. But she knew why some of the clothes were a bit loose. He expected her to grow into them, which meant that he expected her to stay with his nephew. That was _not_ a thought that she relished.

He was speechless when she put it on and stared at her quietly, and she stared back at him, feeling a bit nervous.

"Is something wrong?" she asked softly. He blinked and shook his head.

"N...no." he said softly. She took a few steps towards him tentatively. He took her into his arms and touched his nose to hers, holding her. With her close, things felt right. He sighed softly, for a moment, wishing that things were different, that they weren't on different sides, that he wasn't forcing her to stay here because he was afraid of losing her.

The golden-eyed Prince looked down at her, touching his nose to her cheek, breathing in her scent, and smiled faintly when she glanced up at him. Gently, he slid the robe off her and folded it, placing it back in the chest along with the other things he had taken out before he guided her back to bed, sitting down with her and holding her in his arms. He very much liked her appearance in the pajama set she was wearing, and reached around to undo the button at the high collar. His fingers trailed down, undoing several more of the frog clasps as she sat there quietly.

Zuko gazed down at her as he slid his fingers into her shirt, finding the mark on her breast and caressing the smooth, firm flesh.

She shivered, closing her eyes as she felt his fingers gently caress the burn. He couldn't help but press his lips to her temple as he felt this faint tremble. He still felt guilty for having hurt her in the first place, and wished that the mark could have been made under better circumstances.

Zuko sighed softly and placed a tender kiss on the burn before he looked up at her and nuzzled her again, buttoning up her shirt.

"Did you have fun? Was Uncle too much?"

"I had fun." she said nuzzling him, "and he's not that bad, really." she said with a small smile. He raised his one eyebrow.

"He wasn't?" he asked and she shook her head.

"No Zuko, he wasn't. Though I do see why you warned me, and you were right. But it was still a nice time."

"Well, I'm glad you had a good time..."

"He's such a nice man." she stated. He smiled and nodded.

"That's why I trust him with you."

She looked up at him then kissed him. He blinked and looked down at her, mildly surprised but happy. He imagined how beautiful she would be in ten years, when she was fully grown. She'd be... a goddess, blossoming more as she aged, and he imagined her with fully adult features, her face angular and lovely like his mother's own. Right now this flower had just barely blossomed. And she was all his, his flower to savor and enjoy.

He kissed her forehead before kissing a trail along her face.

"Mine." he growled huskily, "All mine. Forever."

She did not reply. She did not have to, nor did she wish to. Sokka and Aang came to her mind, and she looked away. No, she most certainly was not his! But she said nothing of her thoughts as he climbed on top of her, passion burning in his eyes.

o0o0o0o

Katara stretched as she woke, seeing him curled up around her. With any luck, she would not be spending the morning alone, like she had done in just about every morning since she had been captured by him. She had not seen so much of him either in the last couple of days while they were docked, but the ship had taken off last night. She cursed herself for not being able to find a way off the ship with her companions, but it seemed that Zuko had thought up of everything, thereby canceling out any ideas she may have. She had been allowed out again yesterday, but her guard was just as heavy, and she was constantly watched even when he had let her roam on the ship.

She moaned softly and rolled over to face him, snuggling up to him. The sight of his handsome sleeping face had banished these thoughts from her head. The left side of his face was buried in the pillow, so there was no scar to see. She tried to imagine him without it but for some reason could not, as if his scar was such an essential part of his being that without it he would not be…_him_.

She lay there, snuggled with him for a bit before he stirred, groaning softly as he woke up.

"Morning." she said softly

"Morning…" he said in greeting as his hand slid along her hip under the blanket.

"Why aren't you up?" she teased.

"I wanted to stay in." he replied.

"Thank goodness."

"What?" he asked, sounding mildly bewildered.

"Nothing." Katara said with a smile, "You usually rise so early… It's just nice to be able to snuggle in the morning with you. Your body's so warm."

"It is indeed." he said with an affectionate nuzzle at her shoulder and neck. She smiled at him, stretching herself awake and he smiled even more, placing a firm kiss on her cheek.

"Did you sleep well?" Zuko asked and she nodded.

"Any chance I might be able to get out and exercise today? And to see Sokka and Aang?" she asked hopefully.

"Maybe." he said and she sighed softly, looking away.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing."

"Then why are you sighing?"

She shook her head, saying nothing as she got out of bed to use the washroom, making quick use and coming back out, and he was waiting for her, taking her into his arms.

"What's wrong?"

"I just wish I wasn't cooped up in here all day." she said quietly.

"I understand. You will go out soon." he said before he placed a light kiss on her cheek. She nodded, feeling better before she pulled a simple red robe and a darker set of pants out of the chest, quickly getting dressed. He did the same, sliding on a thick red robe over his clothing, since the sky was downcast and the air was nippy. She glanced at him as she tied a sash around her robe, and he kissed her before sliding a hand into the robe, grasping a breast.

"Mine." Zuko whispered with the smirk that made him look every bit the bastard that he was. She blinked, feeling a bit uneasy. Was that all she was? Her thoughts were interrupted as he kissed her deeply, his hand on the back of her head. Was this all she would be good for? What would happen when she got old and was no longer 'pretty'? Would he just discard her for another?

She started to pull away and he growled teasingly, thinking she was playing with him until he saw her expression.

"Why are you doing that?" he asked as he reached for her.

"Because I'm not a thing. I'm not 'yours' and I don't just want to be used whenever you're… in need."

"You are not a thing."

"You keep saying '_Mine'_ and what do we really do besides share your bed?" she shot back, "You just leave me locked up in here."

"That's not true."

"Prove it." she snapped. He glared at her.

"Maybe I should just leave you here naked and chained to my bed!" he retorted. She glared at him icily, her eyes as cold as the South Pole itself.

"Fine!" she scowled, "What does it matter, since my womanhood is all I'm good for!"

"That is not true!"

"You keep me in here all day like a little pet! You expect me to be this... happy little concubine while you're taking the Avatar to your father!"

"I do not!"

"Go ahead and leave me here, I'll be waiting for you to come back and use me!"

He snarled softly, then glared at her and stormed out, slamming the door behind her, and she sunk to her knees, crying softly. After about ten minutes, the door opened and Iroh sighed softly as he walked in. Katara did not even acknowledge him as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

"I am... sorry."

"Whatever." she said, sounding defeated. It truly hurt the older man to see her look so sad.

"I will talk with him." Iroh reassured her gently and she shook her head.

"I don't think he even really cares about me."

"I know he does."

"How? He leaves me here all day and comes back to lay with me. He talks with me just to tell me how pretty I am or that he enjoys me warming his bed or how I am his. I don't know how old he is. I don't know what he likes to do, what his favorite things are, and it's the same the other way around. It's just… me fulfilling his need!"

"He is sixteen, and why don't you ask him what he likes? He would be happy to talk with you, and so would I."

"It...didn't seem appropriate to…And you have to be kidding me! Sokka's the same age. Zuko seems so...mature and so...serious. He has his own ship and everything!" She recalled when Zuko had invaded her village and had observed that the Avatar was a child. Aang had retorted by observing that he was a teenager but still… She had placed him at least eighteen or nineteen. _At least_. And to know that he was barely older than she was!

Iroh nodded.

"It's hard to believe isn't it? That he is so young?"

She nodded, wiping her cheeks with her sleeve as he patted her back soothingly.

"There was a price to go with it though." Iroh added softly. The Waterbender looked up at him with curiosity

"He had to give up his home and his childhood."

"What happened?" she asked and he sighed, looking sad.

"His father said that because of… something that Zuko had done, he would not have any honor nor could he return home until he had redeemed himself."

"So...that's why he's after the Avatar… What will Ozai do with the Avatar?" she asked and Iroh fell silent, obviously not wanting to answer.

"I can't just sit here knowing he's going to that kind of fate. He's my best friend. And the other is my brother."

"Do you wish to see them again?"

"I don't know." she sighed, "There seems to be nothing I can do to help them. It makes me feel ashamed."

"You can talk to them." Iroh said, "And please do not feel ashamed. Your brother loves you." He stroked his beard for a moment. The Avatar needed to be taken back to the Fire Lord, but there was no need for Sokka to join the Avatar in his fate. If he could talk to Zuko about that...

Katara let Iroh help her to her feet, and he smiled as he held her hand. He led her down to the dungeons mutely, and she did not say anything either, barely acknowledging her surroundings, entering the cells and Aang looked up from a game of mahjong with Sokka to see her. She stilled under their gazes and swallowed, steeling herself to approach them.

Neither of the boys missed the fact that she looked as if she had just been crying, and she also appeared as if she had lost a bit of weight. Both of them greeted her, leaving their game to go to the bars. They wished they could hug Katara and comfort her, and had to settle with reaching through the bars. She reached for them, touching their hands and arms before reaching further, and they took comfort in her touches against their faces.

"Are you warm enough?" she asked gently, "Getting enough food?" she added and the Avatar nodded and smiled a bit, trying to cheer her up. Sokka also nodded, though he did not offer a smile, as hard as he tried. It was hard to even fake a smile as he saw the sorrow on Katara's face. Zuko must have done something bad to her. At this distance, there was no denying that she had been crying, he saw the puffiness in her eyes. Her hands continued to tremble.

"I hope you're enjoying the game."

"We were. The old man said you sent it to us. We appreciate it." Sokka said, touching his sister's hand.

"We're okay for now. Really. Course, we've been trying to escape, but other than that, it's not so bad down here." Aang said, not wanting to cause her any more worry. They were at least being fed well, and not being abused, which was more than he could say for what might happen once he ended up in Ozai's hands. He had been trying to figure a way out, but they were heavily guarded, and never left alone. They were given no chopsticks or metal objects, and during their meals, they were watched closely, to make sure he could not use the water to bend against the guards.

"I'll find us a way out." she whispered as she squeezed his shoulder, "I don't like being here any more than you do, and you're my best friend. And of course, last but not least, my brother." She glanced at Sokka, and he nodded firmly.

"I know." Aang stated with a smile, trying his best to reassure her, "I feel sorry that...Zuko would hurt you."

Katara sighed and shook her head. Sokka glanced at Aang. He had avoided telling the Avatar just what a concubine was, or what Zuko wanted with his sister, and all he would say was that the Fire Nation liked to hurt women.

"He's a bastard, but we all know that." she said and he nodded as one of the guards entered. She fell silent as she squeezed his shoulder again.

"'ello all." the guard said bringing in some food, sliding the dishes under the bars. Katara wasn't hungry so she moved aside to let him do his job.

"'Ow are you feelin' mates?" he asked in a cheerful tone. His face was hidden behind a white mask, and Katara was curious. She had never heard any of the guards talk that way.

"Fine." Aang said. Sokka was silent.

"Would you blokes like somethin' t'drink? Compliments o' the prince 'imself."

Katara blinked and looked up at him. She had never asked that favor from the Prince, and wondered why Zuko might offer alcohol to the prisoners?

The guard smiled behind his mask, taking pleasure in the fact that he had drugged the wine. After all, the Avatar was hardly a opportunity to pass up, and once he was done with Zuko...

Katara politely declined and the guard didn't seem put off at all. He merely nodded and shrugged before he gave the drinks to the boys. They seemed to enjoy it – it had been diluted with sweet fruit juice – along with their food. It was decent food – soft rolls and hot pig-chicken stew along with stir-fried vegetables. Nothing anyone could complain about, really. The guard bowed then left. She still had to get used to these helmets with the odd white masks that reminded her of skulls…

Katara watched as the boys ate, asking Aang a few questions, he was amicable to her while Sokka remained quiet. She wondered why the guard had been so nice to her and them. Maybe because he knew of her status. She sighed softly and crossed her arms.

"I'm glad you're enjoying your food." she said, "I'll come back as soon as I can, frankly this is the bright spot of my day."

"Looking forward to it." Sokka replied with genuine enthusiasm. He motioned her closer, and pressed himself against the bars, their foreheads almost touching. "Perhaps you could sneak things from up there? Tools, or..."

"Definitely." she whispered. He was pleased to see the spark in her eyes as she considered what she could smuggle down to him. _Great!_ He smiled for the first time all day and squeezed her hand.

"I am trying. I'll come back as soon as I can and see what I can get my hands on. I refuse to give up and watch you be taken by the Fire Lord."

"There we go." Sokka replied softly. "See, I knew we could think of something."

As if Iroh knew what they had been plotting, he entered the room, escorting her away. She made a show of pleading for a few more minutes, but he was firm.

"Bye. Enjoy your game." she said, glancing at them over her shoulder before he led her out of the room.

"How about a walk?" Iroh asked as they made their way down the hall, "We don't have to go back to the cabin for a bit, not as long as you're under my supervision."

Katara nodded and walked alongside him, keeping pace with him as they stepped out onto the dock, seeing a few soldiers but no Prince. The town of Mentat was no longer visible in the distance, and she felt very alone. She felt stupid for not trying to run away, seeing if she could find someone to help her. But who in Mentat would have helped her when the soldiers of the Prince of the Fire Nation were looking for her? Perhaps she could just jump off the ship and swim for it…but the rational part of her told her that would just be foolish.

She looked over the side of the ship, leaning against the railing as a couple of the guards kept a eye on her with Iroh, and reached down with one hand, causing the water to ripple in the direction that her hand waved, getting lost in this activity.

"And just what are you doing?" she heard a familiar voice demand from behind her, snapping her out of her reverie. The water fell back to its normal pattern, rippling and churning out from the hull pushing through the ocean.

"Um. Nothing." she muttered as she whipped around to face him. Iroh said nothing, and the soldiers followed him in silence.

"Planning on leaving?" Zuko demanded as he took a step closer.

"I wasn't, I swear!" she protested, "I was simply playing with the water…"

Zuko glared at his uncle who swallowed his words. The old man shook his head before shooting Katara a look filled with apology and concern. The younger Firbender glared back at her.

"You will go back to my quarters now." he said stiffly. She sighed, bowing her head in submission.

"I'm sorry." she said softly.

"For what?" he snapped. Katara flinched at his harsh tone. What was she sorry for anyway? She hadn't done anything wrong, it was he who had been so… short with her.

"Well?" he demanded.

"I... I..." Katara looked down, rubbing her arm.

"You what?" he asked, "you apologize for what?"

"I'm sorry for being out here."

"That's not what you should be sorry for."

"Then what?"

"How about for being such a bitch to me?" he hissed. She kept her head lowered.

"I'm sorry for my attitude earlier." Katara replied meekly.

"About time." he said. She looked down at the dock miserably, fighting back tears.

"You will go to my cabin and remain there for the remainder of this voyage." he said coolly. She was about to protest and remind him of his promise to let her exercise.

"As pathetic as yer da." a chipper voice interjected before a fire blast hit Zuko in the back, sending him to the ground, stunning both him and her.

"'ello Zuky." a man wearing the Fire Nation soldier uniform stated before he removed his mask and helmet. As Zuko started to right himself, the man lept forward before Iroh or the other men could close in on him, landing on the Prince hard and kicking him. The dragon tattoo on his face startled Katara as he kicked Zuko hard in the stomach, removing a wicked flame-shaped knife from under his armor.

Katara blinked and yelled out, approaching them, feeling a certain sense of panic and terror. The man waved a hand, a whip of fire preventing her from getting close before he turned back to face Zuko.

"Never liked Fire Nation royals much, an' it'll be sweet t' kill the son of th' Fire Lord 'imself!" he sneered andZuko's eyes narrowed as he oriented on his attacker.

"You..." he whispered, his tone betraying how surprised he was. Katara wondered just who the man was, with the dragon tattoo on his face and the short, spiky dark hair. The guards were too stunned by this attack on the Prince by one of their own men to identify the tattoo on the man's face as that belonging to an infamous assassin that had a bounty on his head for his success in ending the lives of several important Fire Nation men.

The Fire Prince narrowly ducked a fireball aimed at his face and spun around, performing an arcing fire-kick which drove the assassin back, but only for a moment. The tattooed man was twice Zuko's age, and had the skill befitting his experience. One of the guards approached from behind, trying to bring him down, but the assassin skillfully spun around and landed a sharp blow to the back of the man's neck, rendering him unconscious before he efficiently dispatched another guard. His movements were fast and sure, and the third guard screamed as his hands were burned in the assassin's fire-whip.

He did a backflip despite the armor he wore, and glared at Zuko with a frightening leer.

"There's a rather fine price f'r yer 'ead mate, an' I aim t'collect." he quickly sidestepped a blast of fire that Zuko sent at him, and just as easily dodged another one that Iroh directed. The younger Prince blasted several fireballs at the newcomer in a neat arc and the other just barely dodged the, flipping over the scarred man, punching him in the shoulder blades hard.

Thinking quickly, Zuko blasted an especially concentrated fireball at the man's chest just as he was landing on his feet, knocking him backwards several steps.

Katara knew better than to be involved, and kept close to the railing, scooting over towards the front of the ship and keeping an eye out for any fireball that might come her way. The assassin seemed to not care about her presence and ignored her – which just might work to her advantage. As he stumbled back, Katara darted forward, having drawn a water whip over the railing and using it to lash him across the back.

The man snarled and bucked, trying to throw her off when she tackled him, lashing him across the head with the whip as Zuko rushed to her aid. Katara found herself shoved back with a vicious elbow-jab, and cried out weakly as she collapsed to the deck, having had the wind knocked out of her.

The assassin gritted his teeth, not having counted on the interference of this seemingly insignificant girl, and the distraction enabled the Prince to close in on him, landing a hard blow on his jaw that resulted in an audible crack. He staggered back, bumping into the girl who was trying to pull herself to her feet. He reached down and grabbed the long hair, giving it a vicious yank and forcing her to her feet, deciding to use her as a ploy.

Katara stared up at him with wide eyes, seeing Zuko close in on them out of the corner of her eye. A glint off silver flashed in the sun, blinding her temporarily, but not before she saw the tattoo covering his face up close.

Something plunged into her and it took a while to register. A glint. A dragon. The world spun around her. Pain…lots of it… red… then black as blessed oblivion embraced her.

The assassin was quickly knocked to his left by a brilliant fire-whip in the shape of a dragon, courtesy of the Dragon of the West, leaving the Waterbender to sway on her feet. Already, more men were pouring onto the deck, alerted by the noise. The assassin was struck by several more fire-whips before he was subdued and restrained by Zuko's men.

Katara wobbled for a moment before she tipped over, curling up loosely as the blood pooled from her stomach. The red bled from her form, almost the same exact color as the robes she was wearing, and the Prince felt his knees weaken at the sight.


	7. Conversations and Dreams

Hot Water

Chapter VI – Conversations and Dreams

o0o0o0o

It was utter agony for Zuko, seeing her lay there helpless and bleeding after she had come to his defense. It all became a blur to him, almost as if he was disconnected from his body, watching as it acted on its own. Shouts issued from his mouth, guards buzzing around him and her, the physician quickly applying pressure to her wound, and then she was gone, leaving behind a large stain of red on the cold metal of the deck.

He had the sensation of floating from his body, as if he was seeing everything from above, and in front of him was that large red stain, creeping across the deck before several guards returned with mops and pails. They all stared at him with concern, seeing him just stand there with a blank expression and whispering his name, seeking a response from him.

_Katara_…

Zuko snapped back to reality and blinked, shaking his head. Out of all the unexpected things that could have happened to him today...

He strode towards the infirmary, seeing his uncle there, and over the older man's shoulder, the physician attending to Katara. The man had opened her robe and was pressing bandages to the wound, trying to keep down the bleeding even as he called for someone to get ice. It was hard for Zuko to watch but he could not tear himself away from the sight as the doctor attended to the woman – cleaning the wound and pinching it closed to stop the bleeding, adding salve around it and a pad on top, applying pressure and tightly wrapping a long bandage around her middle to hold the padding in place.

"She should be all right for now. She has lost a lot of blood and there may be damage to her insides, as the cut was deep…but we will find out soon enough. No major blood vessels have been cut, it seems. There's no blood coming out of her mouth, which is a good sign." the older man said as he checked the bandages one last time, making sure it was secur before he draped a blanket over the girl to keep her modesty.

There was nothing else he could do, so Zuko turned around and left.

o0o0o0o

The assassin was the famed Shi-Ryu, 'Death Dragon', because of the dracinian tattoo on his face and the fact that he dealt in death, dispatching lives for the right price. Several men in power – namely, governors – had died by his hand. Zuko almost couldn't believe it. The Fire Nation had been after this assassin for years, yet the criminal was now in his custody. To try to kill the Prince of the Fire Nation was treason in itself, and Zuko grimly considered his options as he stared at the wounded and restrained man.

The assassin had taken a beating from the guards before being stripped of his armor – and all but his underclothes - and chained heavily, bound spread-eagled and also restrained by a thick metal collar that also had chains coming from it and a metal gag accompanying it, an measure taken only with the most dangerous and hardened prisoners of the Fire Nation, especially Firebenders.

The funny thing was, all of these specially-designed restraints had been brought aboard and stored for the event of the Avatar's capture, to effectively restrain him so he could not use any of his Bending abilities. These restraints had been built to the specifications of an average adult male, but could be adjusted due to his body type either way, so these bonds probably could have accommodated a 12-year old child. But now, having encountered the Avatar several times and watched him inside the cell, Zuko had no real desire to use these bonds, not when a regular pair of wrist and ankle shackles and being held in a cell worked just as well.

Shi-Ryuu hung against his bonds unconscious, the burns inflicted from both Princes of the Fire Nation clearly visible against his pale flesh as his head hung limply.

The Fire Lord would be especially pleased to have both the Avatar and the Death Dragon handed to him. The only thing that tainted this victory was Katara's condition. This assassin would pay for what he had done to her.

o0o0o0o

The injury was patched up handsomely and the bleeding stopped, although when Katara broke out in a fever, Zuko learned that there was something else on the dagger that she had been stabbed with.

Poison.

And not just any poison – a poison designed just for Firebenders, one that would dampen the inner fire and break down their resistance, letting the toxins do their work. Concocted by a combination of several rare plants, it was something that the physician – Yan Jue Sylid – had seen but once before, and the victim had been a Firebender soldier, headed for an agonizing demise despite all the remedies rendered unto him.

Katara however was a Waterbender, and despite his expertise, Sylid was not quite sure what would happen when a poison designed for Firebenders was put in a Water Tribe native. She may die, she may not, they fretted, and the fever raged on. If Zuko himself had been stabbed with that dagger.. well, the Prince was glad that he did not have to endure that, but because Katara had been the one to be injured, it was a cold comfort. She had risked herself for him, after he had been so harsh to her.

He looked down at Katara. She was very feverish, and her usually tan skin was pale and flushed. His fingers gently grazed her forehead, feeling the heat that lay under the skin despite the fact that she was shivering. It had been three days, and still her fever raged on, and it seemed that the fact that her injury hadn't penetrated any vital organs or caused an internal hemorrhage was to be for naught as she continued to struggle against the toxin.

Zuko barely noticed as Iroh walked in the infirmary, looking at his nephew with concern.

"You know, it wasn't her idea to go outside. I offered to take her for a walk after I took her down to the dungeons. She had never even asked to go on the dock, it was my suggestion. If you need someone to blame, I take responsibility." the elder Prince explained, putting a hand on his nephew's shoulder. The Prince said nothing, staring off at the wall with his arms crossed. Iroh looked down at Katara calmly, praying she would pull through. If she died, he knew a part of Zuko would die as well. The younger Prince may not admit it, but his uncle could tell he cared a lot, otherwise he wouldn't be down here or so deeply concerned over the girl.

Iroh leaned down and whispered into the Katara's ear.

"Get better. You have to, for everyone's sake." he said. Katara made no response and Iroh touched her hand gently. She no longer looked like a tough Water Tribe native. Now she looked almost like a broken doll, laying there limply, her cheeks hollow.

o0o0o0o

Katara remained like this for almost a week, fighting fever and delirium. Zuko became increasingly irritable, snapping at the soldiers and even his own uncle. The older man worried about Katara as well, almost as if she was his own daughter.

Sokka and Aang had not seen her during this time as well, and Zuko's concern grew when he heard that they had been drugged. Doubtless Shi-Ryuu had thought to gain a reward with custody of the Avatar. He hoped that no one else knew, especially not that cursed Admiral Zhao. He had been purposely leading his ship into an erratic course, as if he was still tracking the child's whereabouts. Soon enough, he would be back in Fire Nation waters, and it would be too late for Zhao.

o0o0o0o

There was only darkness, then Katara saw the dim glow of a flame. She opened her eyes, seeing a fuzzy outline of a lamp somewhere, but she couldn't focus enough to determine exactly where it was or how far it was from her.

And there was a shadow beside her, outlined by the lamp. She turned her head a bit, seeing the outline become a bit sharper as the shape came into focus. _Zuko_. What was he doing here? She was cold. And something hurt. Her stomach hurt, and she tried to lift a hand, feeling something under her robes tightly bound around her middle.

"I'm... sorry." Zuko's voice whispered with a faint echo. Katara blinked slowly a few times as she stared at him blearily, not immediately registering who he was. Why was it so dark? Why was she cold? Why did her stomach hurt? She felt that this man somehow knew the answers.

She tried to sit up and whimpered in pain, feeling a searing flash searing through her stomach. She felt hands on her chest, gently pushing her back down. It slowly came back to her. A knife. A dragon. Something stabbed into her. And... harsh words exchanged between the man holding her down and herself.

Katara had to wonder how long she had been like this. Hours, days, weeks…she dreaded the answer. She had been drifting through a haze, disconnected from the physical realm. Dimly she remembered concerned voices, faces hovering above her, hands tending to her stab wound, applying cool compresses.

She heard a soft sigh as her captor looked down at her.

"It's so cold." she said in the barest of whispers. It seeped into her bones. She couldn't get it out despite the heavy blankets on her.

"I know…" Zuko whispered and she felt a gentle caress on her cheek. She said nothing when she felt a weight shift onto the mat, and he was suddenly a lot closer to her than he had been before, and he was clad in a soft robe.. His body was so warm.

He kissed her temple gently, concentrating on making her feel warm as he wrapped an arm around her. The bandages around her waist were a bit tight, and she felt thick padding on her front.

The Prince closed his eyes, concentrating on his body heat, feeling the fire within, and focusing on bringing some of it out and transferring it to her, keeping her warm while at the same time helping to kill off the remnants of the poison that coursed through her body.

She said nothing, relaxing within his embrace. The heat... it felt so good. She moaned softly, feeling a little better as she felt warmth ripple through her body in gentle pulses. Zuko looked down at her, his features a bit blurry, but he looked tired, and she could make out shadows under his eyes. She looked up at him quietly.

"I'm sorry for everything." he said softly. Katara tried to say something... but what could she say? Sorry didn't erase all the bad things that had happened.

"Fight it, Katara." he begged quietly, "Please don't let the poison win."

"Why? You can… always find another… _plaything_." Her tone was distant.

"I don't want another plaything, I want you. And you're more than that." Zuko whispered. She fought back tears, turning her face from him.

"I've wanted you since I first saw you. Your spirit called out to me." he continued, looking down at her, wishing she would look at him.

"Really…?" she asked softly. He nodded, and she saw this out of the corner of her eye.

"Fight it, please I... I need you." he whispered. He needed her? Not just want...but _need?_ She'd...never thought he would. She had thought all he wanted was the warmth of her body and the sensations she gave him when he used her sexually. Was it possible that he needed more from her than simply the comfort that a concubine could give?

The young Water Tribe maiden felt him gently touch her hand, but she did not respond to him verbally or physically. His fingers constricted around her hand, squeezing it. Finally, she squeezed back gently, if for no other reason than to acknowledge him so he would stop pestering her with questions or comments. All she wanted was to be warm. He gave her a gentle nuzzle, and she stared at him before her eyelids started to feel heavy.

Zuko looked at her quietly as she slept, feeling utterly relieved that she was making progress and had spoken coherent words. The worst was over, at least it seemed though she still had the fever to fight. Well, Katara had the heart of a warrior, and she would prove herself stronger than this. He just had to keep encouraging her...

He lay with her for a while, holding onto her as he shared her warmth, and noted with relief that she was now sleeping peacefully and no longer shivering.

The young Firebender rose from the mat, tucking the blanket under her chin, silently promising to check on her later. Right now he had to get rid of all the stress that had been building, and sparring would help him work it out.

The Avatar was secure in the cells, his hands bound firmly, stripped of his staff and locked in a well-guarded cell so he couldn't do Airbending or try to escape the ship.

And the keys were hidden away in his cabin in a place that Katara couldn't find, and in the slim chance that she did, she wouldn't be able to access them, and he knew she searched his rooms. He insisted on keeping it rather than entrusting a guard with it, so that the Avatar couldn't steal the key from the guards as the Prince knew that was an idea that had passed through the child's head. He was being careful, so very careful. He had waited too long for this.

Zuko shook his head, calling forth two of his men for sparring practice while Iroh looked down from the balcony. The gray-haired Firebender shook his head, making his way down to the dock and waited until his nephew stopped the match and dismissed the guards.

"What?" the Prince said, sounding irritated.

"Any change?" the older man asked and Zuko nodded.

"She woke up and spoke."

"Then why are you not with her?" Iroh asked, almost sounding as if he was chiding his nephew. Zuko gave out an irritated sigh, scowling at his mentor.

"She fell asleep again and so I decided to work off some stress." he explained. Iroh nodded.

"You are lucky."

"I know. I'm going to go and rest…" he stared at his uncle thoughtfully for a moment. "It's been a while... why don't we have some tea?" he asked. A smile spread across the older man's face.

"I would be honored."

Zuko waited for Iroh to fetch some tea from his personal stores along with a tea set as he himself ordered one of his guards to go down to the kitchen and bring up some water and a light lunch. As he waited, he stared out the window at the sea, nodding in acknowledgment to the servant who had brought the water and food, and waited for his uncle. When Iroh entered, he sat down at the table, having already donned a more casual robe. The older man sat down across the table where Katara usually sat, looking a bit tired.

"I remember the other times we would sit together." Iroh said pleasantly as he sipped his cup, acting as if he wasn't the least bit tired. Zuko nodded.

"Always pleasant times. And when we would play dice or mah jongg."

"Always fun to talk and play with you."

"I always enjoyed the time with you, Uncle." Zuko said, his tone carrying only the utmost respect.

"And I with you, nephew." Iroh said with a fond smile. Zuko smiled back as he finished his tea.

"We should both retire for the night although there is one more thing I must do." the Prince said as he set down his cup. The older man nodded.

The elder took his leave and Zuko went down to the infirmary, determined to check on Katara's progress and make sure she was taking a turn for the better before he settled in for the night. He was surprise by what he saw.

Katara was whimpering softly, clearly in the throes of an unpleasant dream. He leaned down to gently touch her face as she whispered 'mama', which caused him to blink.

"No...Mama...no!" Katara whimpered, crying softly, her face contorted with pain and fear. Zuko blinked, shaking her a little in an attempt to wake her up. She squirmed around a bit, giving out a sharp cry before finally coming to consciousness. She gasped softly when she realized he was there beforeshe looked down, crying softly. Zuko sighed, rubbing her shoulder, trying to soothe her.

"How are you doing?" he asked quietly. She turned her face away, as if ashamed of having a nightmare in front of him. He placed a tender kiss on her cheek andshe shook a little as he gently kissed away her tears and hugged her close.

Katara didn't want to admit it, but his embrace comforted her. It wasn't the first time she had that nightmare and it most certainly wouldn't be the last. But...this was the first time she had someone to hold her after that nightmare. She whimpered softly and curled up in his arms. He looked down at her sadly, wondering what her nightmare had been about andshe closed her eyes, savoring the warm arms around her.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better." she said softly, "I don't feel so cold…"

"That means the poison is no longer in your system." he explained, parroting Sylid's diagnosis. She nodded, distantly remembering the doctor saying something like that last time she had been conscious, after he had helped her drink some water. She had beaten the poison, and the whole experience felt almost surreal..

"Are you okay?" he asked with some concern, noting her silence.She nodded. Well, as okay as she could be, considering her situation. When he squeezed her hand, she looked up at him. He smiled a bit as he gazed down at her.

"Would you like me to stay with you?".he asked. She nodded, feeling him squeeze her gently as she closed her eyes.

o0o0o0o

Zuko had made it a habit of checking on his prisoners on a regular basis, making sure there was no way for them to escape, and it also to check up on their health, and make sure they were not being unruly.

He quietly walked down the steps, dismissing the guard from the holding room as looked down at the boys in their separate cells. He had made sure that both of them remained warm, reasonably clean and comfortable despite their restraints, and adequately fed.

The older boy was sleeping, snoring as well, which for some reason didn't surprise him. But the Avatar was sitting there quietly, as if in meditation, and Zuko's eyes narrowed a little.

"You should be sleeping." he said. The gray-eyed youth simply shrugged. Just now, Aang had been thinking of Katara and about what he little he had managed to hear about Zuko and Katara, and at this point now had a gleaning of the distasteful thing that Sokka refused to talk about. He still cared about Katara and was very concerned for her, hoping she wasn't being treated poorly by this...prince. She had not been down to see them in a while and he was of course, worried. He did not know that Katara was at the moment recovering from the stab wound, or that she had even been fatally hurt. He couldn't help but wonder if Katara was simply avoiding them because she was ashamed of the situation Zuko had to put her in, but that made no sense, he and Sokka had reassured her that they loved her, and that they looked forward to her company. Or perhaps Zuko had decided to punish her or something…or she had been thrown overboard? He could not know, for the guards assigned to them had refused to speak of Katara or answer their questions.

The Prince let his eyes move around the chamber, satisfied that his prisoners had no implements with which to escape. They were never left alone with water, given metal objects of any kind, and though they could move about freely in their cells, they ankles and wrists remained cuffed. The guards were ordered to remain silent, and to keep their distance at all times, keeping a wide berth away from the cells unless it was time to give them food or clothing, and to carry away the night-pots, and when it was time for such duties, one guard would give or take as needed while another stood watch. Due to not being allowed anything sharp or the like, the Avatar's hair had started to grow in, covering his scalp with a soft black fuzz.

However, as he stood there, he felt as if he was being examined by the Avatar, and he did not like it at all.

"Where is Katara?" the child asked quietly.

"She is fine." was the short reply. The Avatar narrowed his eyes.

"She has not been down here in a while. You... didn't hurt her or kill her?"

"If I had, you would have been the first to know." Zuko replied coldly. The Avatar sighed softly

"Then why hasn't she come down here? Are you mistreating her?"

"What I do with and to her is not your concern."

"Please...tell me...is she all right? Please don't hurt her." the Avatar pleaded. The concern in his tone was all too evident, Zuko glanced at the wall behind the Avatar.

"I have no need to tell you." he said stiffly. The child set his jaw.

"How come? Is what you're doing to her so horrible you can't speak of it? Why her? What did she ever do to you? Just let her go, she's not the Avatar. You have me. Let Sokka go too. Neither of them have anything they can offer or do for you. Don't punish them just because they were with me."

"My reasons for keeping them are my own, boy, now shut up before I have one of the guards cut out your tongue!" he snapped back, his voice thick with irritation.

Aang blinked but fell silent. He certainly didn't want to live the rest of his life with no tongue, and he didn't want Zuko taking out his obvious anger on Sokka or Katara. He simply stared at Zuko, wanting to know Katara's condition, and wondering if he should press on with just one more question, worded in the most polite and respectful way he could.

"She is fine." Zuko stated before more questions could be asked, leaving the room and slamming the door so hard that Sokka jerked awake.Aang sighed softly, leaning his head against the bars.

o0o0o0o

Zuko trudged up to his cabin, taking off his armor and sliding into the bed. The sleeping form of Katara lay near him, having just been moved up from the infirmary. Once it was confirmed the fever was broken and that there was no internal damage as the physician had checked, since she was now taking down her broth and digesting it the way she was supposed to, she was on the road to recovery. With the poison gone from her system and her being well out of the crisis zone, he had her moved up here so he could be closer to her. Her breathing and pulse were both strong, and her temperature was normal.

Her sleep was drugged and her breathing was deep. but at least she was now without a doubt going to be well. He felt guilty over what had happened, and his hand gently touched hers.

He wanted her to want him as much as he wanted her. Not just his body and the warmth he gave her, but himself as a person. He knew well enough that she liked his touch…but he wanted her to see more. Which was strange. She was just supposed to be a concubine. A thing to pleasure him, something to hold, something to release his desires into, something to touch him when he needed a gentle touch. She had been something he desired ever since he first saw her although at first he did not want to admit it. Now he knew that his desire was something more.

He was Prince of the Fire Nation. He was supposed to be strong. He had to be fire. He _was_ fire. Fire was strong. Fire had no emotion. It consumed all. Which was why the Fire Nation was spreading, like wildfire. And Sozin's comet would make it unstoppable. He would go back home, reclaim his birthright, become Fire Lord one day. It was that simple.

Yet, it was not. He looked down at her again. What had happened between them? Why the hell should he care so much? He knew that his sire would see such feelings as weak and sentimental, and Zhao would just laugh at him. He almost still couldn't believe that Zhao had been promoted to Admiral. But then Zhao was a boot-licker, one who would do anything to please Ozai and advance himself as far into the Fire Nation hierarchy as he could, whether it was carelessly expending the life of his own soldiers or selling his own younger sister into concubinage, from what Zuko had heard. Zhao put himself up as a strong and honorable military leader, but the exiled Prince knew better.

Right now he would attend to her. He carefully wrapped one arm around the dark-skinned girl, hearing a soft moan, but she simply relaxed against him, her eyes remaining closed. The wound was serious and it would be a difficult recovery. But Yan Jue Sylid, the physician aboard the ship was an excellent one, hell if it wasn't for the older man, his scar would probably be worse than it was. The physician was top notch, repairing the worst of the damage with Iroh's help, and Zuko knew the doctor would not have done a poor job with Katara just because she not of the Fire Nation. The physician was loyal to him, of that there was no doubt. And Katara was young and strong. She had the heart of a warrior. She would pull through this. Of that there was also no doubt he thought with a smile. Sylid had assured him that there was no internal bleeding, and as long as the girl rested and did as she was told, she would be as good as new in time.

He placed a kiss on her cheek before an idea occurred to him. She had been able to heal her burn, and he wondered if she would be able to do so with the mark on her stomach. Yes. It was apparent that her ability had minimized the damage of the scar, leaving the scar less worse than he had expected. And now that she was no longer in the grips of a fever-induced delirium, she should be able to... _Yes_. He would propose this solution to her in the morning, so she would no longer need to be dosed with painkillers, or risk opening her wound when she moved around.

As the Waterbender lay there, she was aware of warmth and safety. She felt dazed, drifting somewhere in velvety darkness due to her drug-induced haze, but of course she wasn't aware of that. There had been pain, lots of it but she was free of it now. She tried to figure out where she was but the darkness surrounded her. But it was a nice kind of darkness, one that calmed her and took away the pain.

She remembered the dragon that had come for her, its fierce dark amber eyes gleaming with cold cruelty, and then a different man, this one with a scar, who had held her. Dimly through the darkness she felt a gentle touch, hands caressing her body, and warmth. The darkness parted just a bit and she definitely felt hands on her body, pressing against her in a gentle but chaste massage, heat emanating from these hands.

Katara tried to speak but could not, and a tender kiss found it's way to her lips. Her lips parted just slightly, letting a soft whisper of a sigh escape.

He smiled faintly in relief. She was responsive at least. Carefully he opened her robes and gave her a massage, rubbing his fingers across her skin and into her muscles. She had lost a bit of weight from not eating and remaining inactive, but he would help her, starting with this massage to work her muscles. It was not much different from the massage that the physician had given her, to stimulate her body and keep her blood flowing. But this time, the massage felt intimate to him, even though he was not touching her in an even remotely sexual way.

Katara tried to open her eyes and managed to accomplish this task just a bit, seeing a figure in the darkness. She felt lightheaded but the massage felt so good, and she tried to speak again but couldn't. The figure hovered over her and she felt another kiss on her lips and then a gentle whisper in her ear...

"Katara..." he whispered it to her a couple of times as she felt his warm breath against her ear and neck. She couldn't move, but it didn't bother her. She just felt safe, and eventually the hands stopped rubbing her.

Her head was lifted and water was pressed to her lips. He administered the fluid patiently, watching her as she drank, paying attention to the subtle cues she sent out for more water or to stop for a moment so she could swallow. Through this method, he gave her an full cup, satisfied with the amount she was drinking. After he set the cup aside, he settled down at her side, snuggling up to her.

Katara felt arms wrap around her and closed her eyes, feeling herself drift off into the darkness again.

Zuko held her close and sighed a little as he curled up around her. He just hoped that when she was fully conscious she wouldn't be angry with him or hate him for this, or what had happened to cause her to be like this.

o0o0o0o

As the Prince slept, he found himself visited by disturbing dreams. He was no stranger to such dreams, but this was one he had never had before.

_It was so cold, so damned cold. He had never felt cold like this, not even when he had traveled to the South Pole. It was seeping into his nerves, and he felt his inner Bending react to this, creating heat that would warm up his stiff limbs._

_He saw nothing but blue and white and gray, the colors of the cold, all around him, yet he could see nothing definite. Everything was a blur, as if he was in the middle of a roaring blizzard._

"_You have taken her. You have taken my little iceberg." Zuko heard an accusing tone, and turned around to see someone emerge through the blur of cold. At first he thought it was Katara, but this woman…was not her, although the resemblance was unmistakable. The woman's eyes were a deep blue as Katara's own eyes were, although her eyes were just a bit darker, and she was clad in the usual thick fur-lined clothing that the women of the Water Tribes wore. Her dark brown hair was unbound, and it came down in thick locks, like streaming water, and around her neck he saw a glint of something that looked like a silvery-blue pendant._

"_Who the hell are you?" Zuko snarled contemptuously, thinking about bringing forth some fire to surround himself with. Her presence unsettled him. She did not answer his question._

"_You have taken my iceberg. And she will melt in the inferno unless you release her."_

"_Katara? You're out of your mind. There's no way I'm letting her go, ever!" he yelled as he felt it grow even colder and his bending kicked in, bringing up more heat._

"_You send the Avatar to a cruel fate, and though you may not think it, you are sending Sokka and Katara to one as well. She is not meant to be in the inferno, none of us were. Release them all!"_

"_LIKE HELL I WILL!" Zuko snarled, "You have a lot of nerve telling the Prince of the Fire Nation what to do!"_

_He felt the fire within him boil to near the critical point. He glared at the woman, pushing the fire out of his body, focusing it._

"_The elements do not mix, especially not fire and water. It is impossible, one will extinguish the other. Turn back now while you still can, release your prisoners! The balance must be restored!"_

"_NEVER! I will restore my honor, and nothing will keep me from what I want!" he said, directing his anger at this insolent woman, staring in grim satisfaction as her robes caught fire._

_The colors of the cold changed… to red and gold and black, the colors of the inferno. The woman screamed, an unearthly wail as the flames rapidly consumed her, and even then the fire kept coming. She was consumed, melting into the inferno as she had said Katara would._

Zuko jerked awake, sitting bolt upright and staring off into the darkness. His heart was pounding. He had never had… such an unsettling dream, even though he had dreamed often enough of his own ill-fated Agni Kai and exile.

He heard soft breathing beside him and looked down, seeing Katara. His eyes adjusted to the dark and he noted how beautiful and peaceful she looked, like a quiet lake, pristine and calm. His hand went to touch her forehead, feeling her warmth as he sighed softly. What did that woman-spirit, ghost, whatever she was, think, that he would set Katara on fire? That was unthinkable. He had burned her once only to regret it, and he most certainly would never do it again.


	8. Gentle Moments

Hot Water

Chapter VII – Gentle Moments

o0o0o0o

Her eyelids fluttered open, and it took Katara a while to register her surroundings. She was in Zuko's room again, and she didn't remember when she had been moved from the infirmary. A touch to her middle revealed bandages under the dark red robe she wore and she turned her head around, seeing that she was alone.

Katara saw a tray next to the bed with an empty bowl of soup and a half-full cup of water. Dimly she remembered being fed by Iroh. Or Zuko? She recalled being spoon fed and spoken to in a soft, encouraging tone. But it was all a haze, and she suspected her food had been drugged to help her sleep and cope with the pain. How much time had passed in this state?

But she was feeling considerably more clear-headed now, and tried to sit up. She groaned softly, using a pillow for support. It hurt to move because nearly every movement she made pulled on the muscles of her stomach, but she was determined, and Zuko had not been wrong in telling himself that she would come along fine.

After a few moments of silence, she turned her head to look around. Nothing had changed, really. What did she expect? The only new thing to see had been the tray and what was on it, and her eyes fixed upon the water still in the cup. It would give her something to do… who knew when someone would be coming back. When she was done, she would drink it.

She lifted her hand in the direction of the cup and lifted out some water, forming it into several small spheres and spinning them around, wishing there was more light in here so she could see what she was doing better. It took a lot of concentration to make the spheres dance around in intricate patterns and that helped to take her mind off her stomach, wondering again just how long she had been out of it. It felt like years… And she knew, she knew without a doubt they were closer to the Fire Nation. She didn't want to know how close, and she was afraid to ask.

The water spheres danced through the air as she wiggled her fingers, furrowing her eyebrows in concentration. She was still weak, but it felt so good to bend again, and she had to keep practicing. She had to teach herself how to bend because she was the only Waterbender in the whole tribe. Sometimes Sokka would look at her as she bent the water with envy. She had sometimes felt so alone in her tribe, and she would continue being alone in this, if she was with Zuko. One single Waterbender in a whole nation of Firebenders, with the person closest to her being a Firebender himself.

She sighed softly as she made the balls dance in an intricate pattern, bouncing them around a little. Would he be able to teach her more? After all the basic principles of bending should be the same right? Would Zuko be willing to teach her? Or stop her in case she may use it against him?

The spheres joined together and she used all of her concentration to try to shape it into a dragon form, remembering the fire-dragon that that assassin had formed, though of course on a much smaller scale. The form wavered a bit, but it was still nice looking, and it didn't seem so bad for a first attempt at this.

Both of her hands went into the air as she concentrated, trying to make its form sleek and more graceful. She had never done anything like this before and she concentrated so hard she didn't hear the door open.

Zuko walked through the front room silently and stopped in the doorway to his room, seeing her sitting up partially and between her hands was water Bended in the shape of a dragon, in considerably miniature form, no longer than the length of his hand. The Prince said nothing, simply watching as the dragon slowly moved through the air, almost like a snake. It was beautiful.

Katara didn't notice him as she focused on making the dragon slither through the air, working hard on making it stay in its form instead of just making it a simple water-whip. She visualized it, the wings, arms and legs, trying to add as much detail as she could.

"Beautiful." he breathed softly. Katara gasped, breaking her concentration and the dragon lost its form, splashing onto her face and chest. Zuko stalked towards the bed, looking down at her with a mixture of concern and amusement on his face.

"Sorry to have scared you…" he said gently, taking a corner of the blanket and starting to clean her face, dabbing at it gently. She blinked and said nothing, looking down, blushing faintly.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, dabbing the blanket at her neck and chest.

"Better." she said softly.

"I'm sorry...about before." Zuko said quietly, noting how she was not making eye contact. He couldn't help but blame himself for this even though Iroh had taken responsibility for taking Katara to the dock. He had been mean to her, yelling at her and… He'd been the one to say all those things to her. Even when she had protested her innocence he had still been harsh to her, ignoring the promise he had made her.

She was afraid to look at her stomach, wondering what kind of scar she would have. She felt his fingers on her chin and he lifted up her face, and she found these fierce golden eyes staring back at her. There was silence for a few moments and she simply could not look away.

"Forgive me?" Zuko asked gently and she stared for a bit before nodding slowly. What else could she do? If she said no it'd just lead to another fight, and frankly she was just tired of fighting with him, and she still had Sokka and Aang to think about. It was best to just humor him.

"I was so worried for you…" he whispered, wrapping an arm around her. She nodded and lay her head on his chest. One thing she did remember clearly from the haze was that he said he wanted only her. Not just that but need. Was that possible? She wished they weren't on different sides, recalling their first night together, how he had told her to forget their positions for one night.

He kissed her, his lips brushing against hers in a gentle, chaste manner and she said nothing, looking up at him quietly.

"I didn't..." he sighed softly, "mean to hurt you."

"I just don't want to fight. I don't like it." she said softly, feeling a very gentle caress along her jaw.

"I don't either…" he whispered and she felt him stroke her hair tenderly.

"I was...worried when you were hurt." he continued and she nodded.

"It was so scary, I thought I was going to die…"

"Had you been a Firebender, you would have been. The poison was intended to kill me, it was one made for Firebenders, it works by damping one's inner flame."

She nodded and curled up to him more tightly, feeling comforted in his arms. Was it...so wrong to feel this way in the arms of the enemy? He lifted up her chin again and placed another light kiss on her lips, and she gently touched her nose to his.

"How...how long have I been out?"

"About a week. You were in the infirmary for five days, fighting the fever, and you have been up here for two days. But you are coming along nicely. There is no sign of infection or internal damage, and you have been eating and drinking. You will be fine."

She blinked and looked up at him, and he could see her thoughts clearly in her eyes even though she didn't say anything... _'We are closer to the Fire Nation, time is running out to help my friends!' _He said nothing, not acknowledging it. What could he do?

"That's...a long time." she said softly, looking down. He touched her hand gently.

"I know."

What could she say? She didn't know how to really interact with him except to do what he asked and pleasure him. And fight. That was it. Fight and fuck, nothing else…

Zuko looked down at her, touching her hair again.

"What...do you want to know about me?" he asked. Katara looked up at him, her eyebrows furrowing in curiosity.

"Uh...I...don't know." She hadn't been expecting that question, and he smirked a little. She noticed this and unsure of what he wanted, she blinked and looked down.

"Go ahead and ask away." Zuko said reassuringly, "It's alright. I just…want us to get to know each other better." he explained. The azure-eyed girl looked back at him. The questions she thought of, such as what is your favorite color, what animal do you like, those kinds of questions seemed...stupid to her. She could always ask about how he got his scar…but…it didn't feel appropriate right now.

"Ask anything you wish."

"Um..." she looked up at him and he looked at her encouragingly.

"What's your favorite color?" she asked and instantly regretted it, for it seemed like a childish question.

"It's blue." he said. She blinked in surprise. She had been expecting him to say something like red or black or gold.

"Why?"

"It just is." he said with a shrug, "It's a beautiful color, and it's soothing." He smiled and decided to give her something else.

"My favorite animal has always been the scorpion."

"What's that?" she asked, she had never seen or heard of one. He smiled at her warmly.

"It looks almost like a spider, only it has a tail with a stinger on it and a pair of pincers one on either side of it's face. It lives in the desert and can scamper across the sand very quickly."

She tried to imagine it in her head and saw an odd-looking creature.

"Why do you like it?"

"Because it looks intriguing and it deals well with a harsh environment. It is small but that does not let that stop it from being a dangerous creature. I'll show you one later." he promised, "I can show you a picture and then perhaps later on, we could travel to the desert and you can see a real one."

She nodded quietly, thinking of her own favorite animal, the penguin, and how she would ride on them when she was little.

"What's yours?"

"Penguin. It was always lots of fun to chase them around and to ride on them. You could catch one with a fish and ride it down the icy slopes, it was always so much fun…" she stared off wistfully and Zuko nodded slowly, imagining a little Katara laughing as she rode one of them down the snowfalls. He had seen pictures of penguins and couldn't help but smile, and she regarded his attentive and friendly expression.

"Next question?" he asked, his tone relaxed.

"Um. Maybe you could ask the next one?" she asked and he nodded.

"What's your favorite color?"

"That's hard to say…" she sighed, "there's so many nice colors. I like blue and green and red…"

"Those are good colors." Zuko replied and she smiled shyly. It felt good talking to him like this, and he did look good with a smile.

"What else do you want to ask?"

"Hmm..." Katara said softly, deep in thought for a few moments, "What's your favorite food?"

"Curry chicken." he said immediately, thinking of that wonderful, savory dish.

"What's that?" she asked curiously, hoping she didn't sound too stupid or naïve. He stroked her cheek a bit.

"You cut the chicken up in pieces or strips, roll them around in breading that has curry and a few other herbs mixed in it, and bake it so that the crust is crispy, and serve it up right after. The crust around the chicken is very good and very spicy with all the curry that is put in it. It tastes good when you dip it in honey, although I also enjoy it on its own. But there's also other dishes I like, such as egg drop soup, or mahi-mahi and stir-fried vegetables."

"I've never tasted curry. Garlic, oregano, ginger, I've had these but not curry." she admitted softly.

"It's rather good. Curry-prepared dishes are a Fire Nation specialty, as well as ones prepared with hot mustard, or ginger. We like it hot. When you are feeling better and want solid food, I will ask the chef to prepare it for us. You can see for yourself." he said. She nodded, curious about this dish.

"But you will need something to drink with it." he said with a smile, "It will taste very spicy to you on your first bite."

She nodded again. Since she had left the South Pole she had had the opportunity to try different dishes, which was a nice break from the limited fare offered in the polar regions. She still couldn't decide on a favorite.

He smiled as he looked at her and she shivered as he stroked her cheek gently. Zuko leaned down to place a tender kiss on her cheek before he sighed a little.

"How much do you remember?"

"I'm sorry?" She stared at him in confusion.

"I meant from…well, what happened…" he looked sad.

"I remember the fight. You telling me I had to stay in the cabin for the rest of the voyage. Then that man with the dragon face attacked you and he stabbed me..."

Zuko nodded slowly.

"He is a renowned assassin. He killed several prominent Fire Nation men in the Colonies, governors and the like. He won't say who hired him."

"He's here?" Katara's breath hitched in her throat, and he shook his head, squeezing her shoulders.

"He is heavily chained and bound. He cannot move. Your brother and the Avatar are free as birds compared to him. The Death Dragon has eluded capture for so long, and he will finally pay for his crimes. Including the one he committed against you." he explained. She nodded, and he prompted her to go on.

"Then after that everything went dark...but I remember tiny little bits… You feeding me, washing me, checking my wound...It was all really hazy though. I remember Iroh talking to me a couple of times. And another man… the physician, cleaning my wounds. And…you said you needed me."

"And I meant it." Zuko said firmly as she looked deep into his golden eyes. "I truly need and want only you. All women pale before you. Your fierceness, your strength, your beauty."

She reached up to gently touch his face, and she tried to imagine how it would be in ten years, twenty, fifty. If he really was going to keep her at his side, what would their relationship be like? Would he be as passionate about her as he was now, with noblewomen and concubines alike waiting for him?

"And I mean it for as long as we live. I may be young, but I am not stupid. I know what I want. You're a very unlikely person for a Fire Prince to want, but it does not matter."

"So... I would be...like a wife?" she asked apprehensively.

"Not in title, but in other ways..." He nodded slowly, stroking her hair as he lay her head on his lap, staring down at her. "Not because I think you are not worthy, but things are different at Court..." He sounded genuinely regretful. She had never dreamed in her whole life that she would be so close like this to the person who was supposed to be her greatest enemy. Was it some odd twist of fate or a cosmic joke that she had ended up like this? She took his hand and nuzzled it gently, once again asking herself if it was so wrong to like this. It was just…that his embrace and kisses felt so good. His hand explored her face gently and she closed her eyes, letting him do so. It was as if he was committing her face to memory with just his fingertips.

He smiled softly as he looked down at her as he explored her face. She looked so beautiful and gentle, laying there as his fingers traveled across her cheek. His fingers slowly traveled along her features, liking how her soft brown skin felt. He loved the shade of her skin. It was so much... richer, more _real_, even, than the pale skin of the women of Fire Nation. Slowly a finger traced along her eyelids and he smiled a little more, sliding it down her nose.

Her eyes opened and she kissed the finger that was closest to her mouth, causing him to shiver just a little. He wanted her so very badly, but he would wait until she was ready. He was much more considerate of her feelings than he had been before, and understood that the situation was hard for her, and he would keep her as comfortable and safe as he could.

"Thank you for... taking care of me."

"It was the least I could do." he whispered as he ran a finger along her lip. She took his hand and started to gently stroke it with her own, and he couldn't help but smile again.

She turned his hand palm up and stroked the palm and fingers gently one by one, and there was something so intimate about the gesture that he closed his eyes and shivered a little.

"I like it when you do that…" he whispered. She nodded, continuing to do so, tracing a finger slowly along the lines of his hand.

The raven-haired youth's hands were strong and callused but graceful, with long fingers, and so warm. She blinked as his palm started glowing and a soft flame appeared, pausing for a moment before she brought her hands close to it, feeling the warmth. The fire seemed to invite her to touch it, but she did not. The light of the flame flickered across her palms. It was hypnotizing and she stared at it for a few moments before it went out, and his hands wrapped around hers. They sat there in comfortable silence for several long moments before she felt the stirrings of hunger in her stomach.

"I'm hungry." she said softly, "Could I have some something to eat, please?"

"Of course."

"Thank you." she replied with a smile. He left and was presently back with a bowl of lightly spiced stew, patiently spoon feeding it to her. She couldn't help but smile a little at the care he was showing her and sat there obligingly, taking in every bite. The thick soup certainly was very good, and Zuko even dabbed her chin with a napkin when she accidentally let a little dribble out. After she was done, he handed her a glass of water. She drank it all down.

"Better?" he asked. She nodded. His eyes moved down to her stomach, and he glanced at it for a moment before he looked at her face again.

"Does it hurt?" he inquired. She nodded.

"When I move around, or try to sit up, or..." she replied. He nodded.

"I have an idea, Katara. You're conscious now, and able to Bend. If you were able to heal your burn, then..." He raised his eyebrow, and she quickly looked away.

"What's wrong? You said it hurt, didn't you?"

"Yes." Katara held back a sigh. It was tempting to try it, and see if the healing had been more than a one-time occurrence. But then what? If Zuko knew that she could simply heal herself every time she was hurt, he might be less concerned about her safety. And she was also gratified to see the concern in his eyes. If she healed herself, that would simply be letting him off easy. "But I can't."

"Why not? Can't you at least try?"

She was tempted to tell him that she didn't want to, not for him. But it would be wiser to keep that to herself.

"And what do you think Sylid will say next time he examines me?"

"Then I will tell him there is no need to."

"I don't think he'll go for that." She hadn't seen much of him, being unconscious most of the time, but she did remember his attentiveness. He took his job seriously, and would feel it remiss to not check up on her after her near-death experience. He shook his head, starting to open his mouth in protest.

"I'm tired. I need a nap." She curled up, her back to him as she closed her eyes.

o0o0o0o

"How is she?" Iroh asked quietly when Zuko came up to the bridge, the latter playing a game of solitaire.

"Better." Zuko stated calmly, looking more relaxed than he had been the last few days. Although he kept a cool face in front of the crew, the older Prince knew his nephew well.

"She reminds me of your mother." the gray-haired Firebender commented. Zuko stiffened in surprise and looked down at his uncle.

"Are you serious?" Zuko envied his uncle for having known his mother longer than he did. Iroh nodded as he looked out at the ocean.

"I remember the way she would smile." the older man stated. The youth stared off thoughtfully. He remembered that smile too. Perhaps that was why he liked Katara's smile so much...

"I remember whenever she'd talk about you while you were still in her womb, as well." the older man added. Zuko gazed at his uncle wistfully.

"What did she say?"

"She wanted you to be a physician, so you could help people."

"She should have known that was not possible, my being the son of the Fire Lord." Zuko said. His mentor sensed a bit of longing in his voice, knowing his nephew was wondering what if.

"What else did she say? Was she happy to have me?"

"She was and yes she did know, but... she wished it all the same."

"It would have been nice." Zuko said softly, "but it's too late to change things now."

"She always said it was never too late to change things, that you simply needed hope and perseverance."

"I'll keep that in mind." the younger Prince replied dryly as he turned away.

"And remember, tonight's music night!" Iroh called out after him cheerfully. Zuko groaned softly.

o0o0o0o

Iroh shook his head slowly. Before, Zuko had always been a bit on the shy side. His scarring had only exacerbated it, making Zuko nearly a social recluse who had a hard time connecting with people and hiding his insecurities behind a prickly demeanor.

What would Ursa say if she could see her son right now? What would things be like if Ursa was still alive? Iroh closed his eyes as he leaned against the railing, thinking about the beautiful and sad woman.

13 Years Ago – (Year 67 of Fire Lord Azulon's Reign)

Iroh found Ursa alone in his mother's garden, her elegantly beautiful features masked with sadness. It was unexpected, since he had come here for a private stroll. But he was not bothered, not was he about to shoo her out. He stood there for several moments, simply gazing at his sister-in-law. Her hands were folded neatly in her lap, but it was apparent that she had been crying only just recently. There had been an instant rapport between the two of them even as he knew that she was engaged to his brother. She had glanced at him shyly, and he offered her a warm smile in response to reassure her, knowing that she was nervous about being here in the Palace and being part of the royal family and embarking on a new life. Instead of looking away demurely as propriety said she should have, she smiled back.

Being brother and sister-in-law gave them a chance to spend time together. He acted proper always, but there had been an instant rapport between them. In some ways, she reminded him of his dead wife, because both of them were good-hearted women. When Zuko was born, he doted on the babe.

But Ozai grew more and more distant. Ursa noticed her husband turning his attentions elsewhere. A man was entitled to concubines, but in the beginning of their marriage, he had abstained from other women. He could be rather imperious and trying at times, but they did have their good moments together. He had doted on her and lavished her with compliments after their son was born.

There was a saying, that a young couple might eventually become like a pair of mandarin turtle-ducks, mated for life. This was what young husbands and wives told themselves, especially ones in arranged marriages. The marriage had started off well enough at first, and she was happy. She hoped that one day, she and Ozai would be old and realize that they had led an happy life together. Ozai had chosen her out of several candidates submitted for his consort, and he had chosen her. She had been honored.

But her husband was more than he seemed. His moods grew darker. After her daughter was born, he barely paid any attention to her. And now, with Azula's first birthday but a few months away, she was dead. One morning, she simply didn't wake. And her husband didn't seem concerned. After all, he said, they had a son, and she was healthy and could bear more if needed. But regardless of sex, Zuko and Azula were her babies. She loved both of them, and for her husband to so callously dismiss one of them... He even seemed almost happy, but she kept telling herself that couldn't be. Azulon had made sure that the little Princess had a proper funeral. He had always seemed to give more regard to her feelings than his own younger son did. As a dutiful daughter-in-law, she paid regular visits – as was proper – to her father-in-law. He was a quiet man, but she was comfortable in his presence. He rarely spoke to her, but she had never seen him look at her coldly. And Iroh was a warm and kind man. She always enjoyed his presence, so when she looked up, she was startled only for a moment before relaxing.

He approached and bowed his head respectfully. She returned the gesture.

"You look like someone who could use company." Iroh stated. Ursa nodded faintly. He sat down, placing a bit of distance between them as was proper between family members of the opposite sex. He did not speak of Azula, and for that, she was grateful. He reached out to place his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently for a moment before pulling his hand away. It was the first time he had ever touched her. And she had enjoyed it. Ozai had offered her no such comfort in her grief. His hand dropped to the bench. She drew her hand from her lap to rest it on top of his hand. She did not look at him, and looked away to hide her blush. She pulled her hand away and rose from her seat, her heart fluttering. With a quick bow, she left the garden. She did not look back to see if he was following her. Only after she left the garden did she look back. She was alone.

Iroh sat there for several long moments, his eyes closed as he remembered the feel of her hand on top of his.

o0o0o0o

Katara moaned softly, rolling over in the bed, feeling the pain in her stomach as she heard music. She blinked and opened her eyes, seeing that it was nighttime. Where was that music coming from, she asked herself. Despite the pain in her stomach, she made her way to the window and found her curiosity piqued upon seeing a festive scene on the dock. Some of the soldiers were singing heartily, and Iroh had some sort of large horn wrapped around his middle.

Zuko sat quietly, but Iroh seemed to be enjoying himself very much. Katara simply watched quietly from the darkness of Zuko's bedchamber, noting the behavior of everyone. The Dragon of the West was playing the horn with much gusto, which really didn't surprise her. She couldn't help but smile.

Some of the soldiers were roasting food over a portable firepit while other simply danced or sang boisterous chants, while the Prince just sat on a crate, simply observing, his arms crossed over his chest. It had taken her a bit to find, since he was sulking in the shadows. He looked as if he felt he didn't belong with them, not because he thought he was better than them, but because he felt somehow... as if he didn't fit in, even though the soldiers invited him several times to join them.

Katara pulled a chair near the window, wincing in pain as she sat down, rubbing her stomach through the bandages. She had fun watching Iroh and the soldiers, and it provided her with a distraction from her injury. He truly was a genial old man, it was hard to believe that he was the famed Dragon of the West, the mighty elder brother of the Fire Lord, and the feared general of the Fire Nation. He always had a gentle word and smile for her, and never treated her as inferior simply because she wasn't of Fire blood.

Her attention returned to Zuko. She wondered if he could sing. Or dance. Or even have fun. She sighed softly, looking down and feeling the bandages through the fabric of her robe. All the lamps were out and she wasn't a Firebender, so she was stuck in the dark. If she had light she would examine her cut. But did she really want to? She looked back out at the dock, wishing Sokka and Aang were free to have fun too. But no they were not, and she sighed again, closing her eyes for several long moments before opening them again. Her gaze moved beyond, out to the ocean, seeing the moonlight reflected on the waves,

Zuko sighed impatiently, leaning back against another crate with his arms crossed. He looked up, then looked around out of boredom. He never really liked these music nights but bore with them since they seemed to keep the soldiers happy.

He looked back at the stack of the ship, and blinked when he looked up at his windows. It was dark in the rooms, but the moonlight gave him enough light to see a figure, and it looked as if she was staring out at the ocean. He sighed softly, figuring he had been out here long enough anyway, and went back inside, making his way back to his cabin.

"Are you well?" he asked as he entered his room. Katara blinked as she saw his silhouette move through the darkness.

"Are you okay?" he repeated after a few moments of silence.

"Um. Yes."

"You sure?" he asked. She said nothing, but he saw her silhouette nod. He pulled up a stool of his own and sat beside her, taking her hand.

"I hate events like this." he said, inclining his head to outside.

"Why? They look like they're having fun, especially your uncle!"

"Even when I join in I... feel like I don't belong there." Zuko replied quietly.

"Do you plan to go back out there or stay?"

"I'd like to stay here with you." He helped her off the stool and back to the thick, comfortable mat, hugging her close as he sat down.

She hugged him back, curling up in his lap as he nuzzled her. He gently deposited her on the bed and she watched, her eyes having adjusted to the darkness, as he removed his armor and everything else except for his pants. He crawled into bed next to her, pulling her close.

Katara curled up to him, feeling him draw her into a protective embrace. She gently placed her hand on his chest, feeling the heartbeat and the warmth.


	9. The Hidden Truth

Hot Water

Chapter VIII – The Hidden Truth

o0o0o0o

Katara stirred awake, feeling sad upon seeing she was alone. She lay there, remembering the warm words they had exchanged the night before. The light that shone in the room showed her that it was mid-morning. She noticed a black lacquered tray of food waiting for her right next to the thick mat, a pitcher of water, a small bottle of wine, and a covered dish of bread, cheese, and fruit in matching lacquered dishes. She was grateful for this thoughtfulness and ate some of it before she heard Iroh's voice outside.

She made her way to the window and looked out, seeing Zuko fight with a guard, and he was also Firebending although not to hurt the other man.

"Keep your guard up. One misstep can result in serious injury." Iroh was saying, instructing his nephew closely, "Breathe in and out, the fire comes from the breath, not the muscles." he added in. Zuko continued for a while, surprising Katara with his moves. He was very graceful and the fire he created was stunning, and he acted as if he was an extension of the fire itself, always twisting and leaping, impossible to keep in one place. He was barefoot and wearing red slacks and a sleeveless top.

She stared for a bit, starting to feel envy. Women in the Tribe were wives, mothers, housekeepers, not warriors. If a woman was strong, that was fine, but she had to focus that on typical woman duties, not the ways of the warrior like the men could in the Tribe. And she had no one to teach her how to Waterbend either…

She drew in a soft breath as he summoned fire in a graceful arc, almost like a snake, and she knew that that had to have taken lots of concentration and practice. Iroh coached him, throwing out commands here and there. After a bit, the soldier left and Zuko was alone with his uncle, but the lesson continued.

It was obvious Iroh cared very much about his nephew, enough to push him and be stern during this session when at other times he was very gentle and even-tempered.

"Remember, embrace the flame, feel it around you even as you command it. Fire comes from within, so your focus must come from within." he continued. The fire-snake wrapped around Zuko loosely in a perfectly formed spiral, and her eyes widened. Zuko looked stunning, fire personified, a god of the inferno. And she found herself wanting to be in that inferno. She blinked and stared for a moment before shaking her head, clearing herself of such thoughts. Fire burns, she reminded herself, and the mark on her breast reminded her of that all too well.

The session ended and Zuko stood there, his feet placed firmly on the dock, breathing slowly, his topknot blowing gently in the breeze. Iroh smiled a little and nodded.

"Very well done." he told Zuko and the Prince bowed to him. The older man got up from his seat and stretched out a bit before he went below the deck. Zuko put on a light robe that had been discarded on the table where Iroh had just been sitting.

Katara disappeared from the window and made her way back to the bed, knowing Zuko would insist on her staying in bed. His concern touched her and she smiled when she remembered the day before, where he had tenderly fed her soup and later on held her. It made her feel happy too. She took the book that had been sitting near her pillow and read quietly with the lamp that had been provided for her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as he entered the room a couple of minutes later.

"Better." She smiled as he approached the bed and lay beside her, laying his head on her chest. She said nothing as she set the book aside and stroked his scalp, letting her fingers run along the clean-shaven skin. He couldn't help but shiver a little and he looked up at her.

"I'm just curious and I hope you don't mind if I ask...why do you keep your hair up like that? Its not that you don't look good in it, I'm just wondering because I've never seen anyone else wear one…" Katara asked shyly, blushing a little, hoping she hadn't offended.

"It's a symbol of my... status." Zuko replied quietly. She nodded and gently kissed his scalp.

"Could I see my brother and friend tomorrow?" she asked tentatively, hoping he would not turn her down, "I am sure they are worried about me as they have not seen me for so long…"

"You may." he replied with a slight nod.

"I appreciate that." she said genuinely, "I saw your session. I was very impressed with how you…handled the fire."

"I had Firebending Masters as tutors when I was younger, though Uncle's been my teacher since I left home." he explained.

"He cares about you a lot." she said wistfully.

"And I him. Were it not for him then…well I don't know how I would be. I am lucky to have him."

She smiled and nodded as she listened, though he saw a bit of sadness in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked, touching her hand.

"Nothing…" she said, looking away at a wall hanging. He touched her chin with his fingers, making her look back at him.

"What's wrong Katara? You can tell me, you have nothing to hide." he admonished gently. She shook her head and looked down.

"It does not matter." she said, avoiding eye contact as she straightened a fold in her robe.

"It does to me."

"Why? I am but a concubine. That's what you captured me for, to warm your bed."

He looked down, feeling ashamed of the circumstances he had forced her into.

"I want a companion. I'm not like my father, having women only for sexual pleasure. I do enjoy your company. You mean much more to me, and I hope that you can trust me." It almost seemed crazy for a Waterbender to cause him to feel this way but facts were facts, and he could not deny his feelings. She gently touched his face and looked up at him.

"I am honored that... I have come to mean so much to you." she said softly. He looked at her, and she saw a gentle expression come to his face, one that she had only seen a couple of times before. It seemed so alien…yet it seemed right. She felt her heart skip a beat as she stared at his face, the left one was hidden in shadow so that his un-scarred side was more visible. He _was_ handsome, she had to wonder just how or why he was scarred like that.

She took his hand and started to kiss it gently before she stroked it in the way she knew he liked, it was one of the first things she had learned how to do to pleasure him. He shivered a little and looked down at her, his eyes twinkling with enjoyment. She smiled back at him as he picked up her hands, kissing both of them. This was no cruel man. This was one who cared about her, who let her go shopping and gave her good food and a comfortable bed and a gentle touch, one who had been so concerned when she was ill instead of just letting her die.

Still...she worried about Aang and Sokka. She hoped they were treated all right while she was 'out' so to speak, and she would see them tomorrow at least. She had to assume that Zuko had continued giving them fair treatment.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, "I see you ate some of the food. It didn't hurt your stomach, eating solids?"

"I'm good. And it doesn't hurt so much when I walk." she told him. He paused then shook his head.

"You shouldn't be walking until you are well…"

"I can't just stay in bed all day, Zuko. I've lost a lot of weight. Don't worry, I don't walk much, just a bit. Just to get this book I was reading and to use the washroom. That's it, really. I know you're worried about me but a bit of exercise will really help me."

"I just do not want you getting hurt. I wish you would try to heal yourself." he whispered, touching her hand. She remained silent as she looked away. He leaned down to give her a nuzzle and she closed her eyes, lifting up her face towards him, feeling more nuzzles and a kiss on her cheek. It always felt so good when he touched her, whether to kiss her or hug her or stroke her, there was something about his touch…

She wondered if it would always be like this. Would she would always be kept locked up so to speak almost like a pet, she most certainly hoped not. If that was what the rest of her life would be like... she couldn't, _wouldn't_ live like that no matter how gentle or kind with her he was, no matter how comfortable the surroundings may be. She wanted to have some say in how her life was run. There were so many things she wanted to do...and may never be able to do, if she was to be kept like this all the time. She wanted to be a master Waterbender for one, instead of being the property of a Fire Nation royal.

"Are you going to keep me like this for the rest of our lives? Zuko, please tell me... do you plan to keep me locked up?" she asked softly.

"I do not plan to. Things will change."

"Promise?" she asked softly.

"I give you my word." Zuko said solemnly.

"Thank you." Katara said, almost sobbing in relief and he kissed her cheek. She lay her head against his chest, feeling much relieved.

"Can I also go out tomorrow and get some exercise? After seeing Sokka and Aang? It's not that I would try to escape, Zuko. It's just... I don't want to be shut up all the time you know?" she asked tentatively. He paused for a moment and she feared he would say no, but he nodded a little.

"Only if I get to go with you." he said with a smile, "I'd like to go with you. We do not have to talk or anything. We can just enjoy the fresh air."

"I would be glad if you came to walk with me." she said with a warm smile. He kissed her forehead tenderly and ran his fingers through her thick, dark hair. She was still not quite used to having it loose, but she knew he enjoyed it.

"Now what was it that upset you so?" he asked. She shook her head and looked down.

"Katara, tell me please." he insisted, albeit in a reassuring tone but she shook her head stubbornly. He would have let it go, but the pain and emotion in her eyes was too much.

"You can tell me."

"It's... not important."

"It's important to you."

"I want to do more." she said quietly.

"More what?" Zuko asked, his curiosity piqued.

"I want to learn."

"Learn what?"

"To bend." she said softly. "I'm the only Waterbender of my tribe. All I know about bending, I taught myself."

"Why are you upset? Surely it's not a crime to be taught to bend."

"There was no one to teach me to bend." she said simply and comprehension dawned on him. He sighed softly and drew up, sitting straight. Noticing his reaction, she looked down, thinking that he would simply dismiss this concern..

"I can help you." he said. She blinked and looked up at him. He would not stop her from bending?

"Granted, water and fire are different but I will still try."

"You would... let me? Why?"

"Because I want to. But no one must know. Okay? It would be safer for you to keep your abilities a secret, especially in the Fire Nation. Do you understand, Katara? You must _not_ bend in the Fire Nation, unless I give you leave to do so. This is for your safety. I need you to give me your word that you will listen to me when it comes to your Bending." he asked. She nodded solemnly. There was no mistake that she understood him, he had seen it in her eyes. He leaned down to kiss her, pressing his lips against hers lightly, savoring the warm plumpness and inhaling the faint scent of her flesh. She was truly a refreshing drink of water, and she helped to calm the turmoil within. He squeezed her for a moment before looking down at her.

"Let's check your wound." he said gently as he lifted his arms from her body, easing her back on the pillows as he looked down at her. Katara shook her head, fearful of what would be revealed.

Zuko said nothing as he opened her robe carefully and she looked down, seeing the padding under the bandages, gingerly touching it with her hand. Slowly he unwrapped her bandages, this was the difficult part since it was wrapped around her waist and it was not easy for her to sit up, but he was careful, sliding it from under her back as he unwound it. His hand went to the padding and lifted it and she held her breath, staring off at the wall for a moment. He said nothing, waiting for her, stroking her hand reassuringly, and finally she took a deep breath and looked back at him.

"It's okay to be scared to look, Katara. I was afraid to look in a mirror after…I got my scar. Just relax. You're healing fine." he whispered as he stared down at her. She nodded before looking down seeing the wound.

There was the initial stab, just below her rib cage near her left which she could recognize, and it looked as if he had pulled the knife down a couple of inches as well, ending just above her navel before he pulled it out. Quite…the scar, she thought dryly as she looked down at it, gingerly running her fingers along it. Zuko remained silent, letting her explore it and come to terms with it. Sylid had already removed the stitches, right before she had been moved from the infirmary, and he could see the tiny puckers along the cut, where the thread had been.

She shivered remembering how close Zuko had come to death, and she had stepped in. And this scar...she took it for him. Gingerly she touched it with her fingers, it hurt just a bit when she pressed against it lightly. It was still healing, with quite the gash. She felt disfigured. Her stomach had been so perfect and smooth before and now...

Her hand quickly went to cover as much if it as she could from Zuko's eyes. It was ugly and she felt disgusted, and she felt loathing for herself and him. If the assassin had killed Zuko, then she might not have been a concubine anymore, and... And, what? There would still be Iroh and the men of the ship. Zuko's death might have even made things worse for her. His hand touched hers again.

"If you're so repulsed by it, why not try to heal it? Look at the mark on your breast. I'm actually glad you were able to heal it. I'll be happy if you do it again." He lowered his head, kissing the hand that covered her scar.

To him she wasn't ugly and would never be. The burn was his mark on her, signifying that she was his just as Agni had marked his woman, and the scar... It was a mark of her bravery, how she had thrown herself at the Death Dragon. He didn't know any woman who would have done that. There was no reason for her to feel ashamed of the stab wound. To him it didn't take or add to her beauty. It was simply there, a reminder of what she had done for him, and he accepted it as part of her body.

"It's deep. There's no way it's ever going to look decent! It's going to...leave an ugly scar. I'm ugly." she said in a soft but vehement tone, clearly disgusted with herself. Did she regret her act of bravery? He blinked and shook his head.

"No. You could never be ugly, Katara."

"Look at it. It's....just..." she trailed off. Zuko would see it every time she was naked.

"You are beautiful." he said firmly, cupping her face in his hands.

"Even with this?" she asked softly and Zuko nodded and kissed her.

"You have that scar because of me. The scar doesn't add or take away from your appearance. It's simply there, and I accept it. Do not be ashamed of it. There is no reason to be ashamed when someone attacks you and scars you…especially when you save a life. Is a soldier made ugly for receiving a injury in battle?" He tilted his head, a thought "The men of your Tribe, they value bravery, do they not? Is the worth of any of them diminished if he receives an injury?" he reasoned. She stared at him for a moment before shaking her head slowly, unable to refute his logic.

"I just...couldn't let him hurt you…" she said softly, "Even though I was upset with you…"

He nodded and hugged her fiercely. "You have my undying gratitude." His comment made her smile. It definitely was nice to know...

"Now how about a bath?" he asked gently. She nodded.

He got up off the mat and helped her to her feet, wrapping his arm around her waist as he helped her to the washroom. He was so gentle, and she sat there patiently, her robe partially closed, as he filled up the tub and warmed it up. Dimly she remembered him washing her with warm water and washcloths when she was 'out', and shivered at the memory. He had been so tender with her and as far as she could recall he had not taken advantage of her in her weakened state.

"Up we go." he whispered as he removed her robe and helped her into the tub, making sure she was seated comfortably before he took off his own clothes and joined her.

Katara shivered as he started to massage her shoulders and back, and she whispered his name, which caused him to smile in approval. His hands traveled along her body, massaging as he washed her, and she found it hard to remain fully alert, in this warm water with these hands caressing her. Before, she never would have imagined that the Fire Prince would be attending to her so lovingly, almost as if she was the royalty and he was her concubine, here to take care of her and attend to her comfort.

When he was done with her back, he helped her to turn around so that she now faced him, managing this despite the tight fit of two bodies in the tub. She gazed at him with a faint, relaxed smile as he attended to her front, carefully washing the wound, wiping away the remnants of dried blood and salve. Tentatively, she touched it, and without warning, the water surrounding her wound glowed as it had done around her burn, and Zuko stared at her stomach wordlessly as the cut closed up, the two sides of flesh knitting together and forming a thin scar.

"Katara..." His voice was choked up as he set aside the washcloth and touched the mark, marveling at it.

"Zuko..." She blushed, making ready to push his hand away. He blinked as if coming out of a trance, and looked up into her eyes. "This... is a miraculous gift." His tone was full of admiration. "Just remember what I said before about letting nobody else see you."

"Of course."

When it seemed that he was done washing her, she moved to wash him, but he shook his head.

"Just sit there and soak in the water for a bit, Katara. Let the hot water soothe you." he stated before he started washing himself. She could not help but smile as his hands went over his chest with the washcloth. She did help with his back when he asked, but when she was done, he started washing himself again, working on his arms and legs and she shivered when he washed a certain part of himself. He kept a calm face but noted her reaction, hiding a smirk and teasingly stroked himself, seeing her shift a little. Finally, he let a large sponge absorb the water to maximum capacity, squeezing it over his head to wash his face and hair.

When a sufficient amount of time had passed, he rose from the tub and wrapped a towel around his middle before glancing down at her, still marveling over the scar on her stomach. He helped her out, wrapping her in a towel before he carried her back to the bed, laying her down. She lay there as he dried himself and donned a loose robe, and he helped her into one as well.

"Thank you." she said with a shy smile on her face as she placed a tender kiss on his scar. He couldn't help but smile asshe curled up against him, feeling the warmth of his body. Though Katara wouldn't admit it, she was as drawn to him as a moth was to the flame, and Zuko could not have enough of her as well.

She whimpered softly, nuzzling his bare chest, gently pushing the edges of the robe open, and he smiled as he looked down at her. She reminded him of a kitten looking for affection. And he would give that to her. He stroked her hair as she pressed her face to his chest before giving her a nuzzle of his own, and she shivered and nuzzled him back before burying her face in the hollow of his throat, placing gentle kisses there. He could not hold back a shiver as she licked his throat.

She...wanted his fire to consume her. She had been out of it and confined to sleep and haze for so long, And she knew he felt the same, so long without any sexual contact with her had to be hard on him. He looked down at her quietly.

"Do you want to…" he whispered. She nodded. He smiled at her gently.

"Then we will take it slow. I will be gentle with you."

"I want you." she said softly.

"And I want you too." He shivered as her hand traveled along his chest, a finger rubbing against his hardening nub. He shivered, moaning softly as he looked into her eyes, feeling her fingers gently pinch his nipple, and he growled softly at her. She could see the tiniest flicks of fiery red in the deep gold of his eyes, and she couldn't tear herself away.

"My beautiful Waterbender…" he whispered as he lightly bit her earlobe. He purred and kissed her, sliding his tongue against her soft lips, and his breathing became ragged as his arousal climbed higher and higher.

She lay back, spreading herself open for him, and he removed his robe, standing before her, fully aroused. Never had she seen such an incredible sight as a naked Zuko, and she told herself that for tonight, she would forget that they were on opposite sides of the War. _Let us have a night of enjoyment and pleasure_, she decided.

"Mmm, so full of fire…" she told him in a breathy whisper.

"And with a thirst quenched only by you." he shot back heatedly as he descended to the mat, slinking towards her on all fours and taking his position over her.

**(hot Zutara smut here, ooh lala. Per FFN rules, I cannot put it here. Go to my profile to find a link to the uncut version of Hot Water. Otherwise, just read on.)**

Katara was breathless, as was he. It had been so different from the other times but no less incredible. They lay there together for a while, saying nothing, simply holding and touching and nuzzling each other, basking in the afterglow. She stared at him through half-lidded eyes.

He was wondering what had just happened. It had been so different from the other times, all of them. They'd...made love, instead of him merely taking her. That was supposed to…be some sort of fantasy for young lovers, the stuff of fairy tales, the kind of thing that existed only in the old romantic poems and plays. But it…had been made real.

He had shown her his gentleness, his most intimate side, the side that no one had ever seen, not even Iroh. For Katara…he had held nothing back. What was more now there was no going back, no saying that this was just sex.

Could it be? Did he..._ love_ her?

Was he capable of such a deep and pure emotion?

Love between two different elements was abhorrent to Ozai and the Fire Nation. Sure, the soldiers of the Fire Nation would sometimes use the vanquished women as toys. It was accepted, even encouraged, but toys were always discarded. No. He had to hide it. For all appearances, Katara would be a simple conquest, nothing more.

But did he want her to know that she was something more to him? She would keep it a secret, yes. But would she react? She had resigned herself to being his kept woman, would she see him any different if she knew she was more? Would she hate him? Would she give herself to him completely and trust him? He wished he knew.

No, he could not tell her. It pained him, but he had to keep it inside.

Her hand found his scar and stroked it gently, and he could not help but smile as he looked up at her. She liked how he reacted when she stroked him, and her fingers gently traveled along his clean shaven scalp. She liked the smooth skin, though she did wonder how he would look with a full head of hair. He was the only one on the entire ship who shaved his head this way, and she wondered if he was an exception even in the Fire Nation, or perhaps this was a hairstyle reserved for the youth.

He purred and closed his eyes, immensely enjoying her touch, craving it as he craved everything else she gave to him. She smiled and let her fingers explore his face and scalp, the palms of her fingers caressing his head gently, and she lightly stroked and twirled his topknot around her fingers.

"Your touch is so soothing." he whispered as he nibbled along her ear.

"I try." she smiled as her fingers left his topknot to caress his forehead. He placed a tender kiss on her cheek as he looked down at her, nuzzling her, wishing he never had to leave the bed.

Her warm body, her attentions, her presence.. It was all that mattered to him right now. All that he desired. Not the Avatar who had never even really done anything to him, not showing that bastard Admiral Zhao who was the better man, not the crown of the Fire Nation that was his birthright. He wanted only her.

_You're the only thing that should even really matter, Katara_… he mused as he stroked her hair.

o0o0o0o

Katara lay awake, having just woken up a few moments ago in the middle of the night and quietly thinking about what had just happened between them. They had made sweet, gentle... _love_? Was that the right word for what he had done with her?

She looked over her shoulder at the sleeping Prince, spooned up to her with an arm around her middle, holding her securely as if he was afraid she might flee, and she could feel the warmth from his body, warmth that he was sharing with her. He looked utterly at peace at that moment, and she remembered how he had touched her and smiled. His eyes had been filled with not just desire but genuine need, a need not just for her. but a need for affection.

Very carefully, she lifted his arm so she could go use the washroom, and crept back into bed with just as much care. He had not stirred at all. The bed was so comfortable, the mat was thick and the sheets were so soft. To wake up in this and not a sleeping bag on dirt…it felt very good. Suddenly, she felt guilty for thinking these things. Sokka and Aang were in the hold of the ship, prisoners, in cages. She had to get them out. She needed to have a plan, and she couldn't do anything if she was shut up in here. She needed to stay on Zuko's good side as she tried to formulate a plan.

He lay there, still sleeping quietly beside her and she watched for a bit, staring at the unmarked side of his face, as the other side was pressed into the pillow. In her mind's eye she duplicated this side of his face and flipped it over, putting the two together to make a face that had no scar on it. It was a curious and visually attractive image. But it did not feel right. The scar was part of him.

Gently, her hand started to stroke his and his eyes fluttered open, a gentle smile gracing his features. She placed a light kiss on his hand. She had learned, during her time with him, that he loved when she touched his hands, and it was a rather effective way to keep him pleased.

"Good morning." she said softly, and he smiled even more upon hearing her say that.

"Is there anything you would like?" she asked. He shook his head.

"You're here, that's all I need." he replied. They cuddled for a long while, and he became aroused again. She surrendered to him joyfully, teasing and encouraging him with her hands until he mounted her, showing her the same passion and care that he had shown her just before. They dozed off again and did not stir until dawn.

Given the good mood they were both in, Katara nearly chose a silk robe to wear. But Zuko had promised to take her out today, and she decided that silk was better for more intimate situations, especially because she would be seeing Sokka and Aang, and she didn't want them to get the wrong idea from seeing her in such a fine garment.

As the Prince dressed himself, he was deep in thought, images from last night coming to his mind's eye. The tender embraces they had shared... It hadn't been a dream. He...had given himself to her. How stupid could he have been? That was not supposed to happen. She was supposed to be a concubine, the object of his lust, nothing more. But instead he had...made love to her and realized his innermost feelings for her. Now...there was no turning back.

What the hell was he supposed to do? There was no way...that he could make this known to her. Or anyone else for that matter. He could not set her loose, for she would then set upon rescuing the other prisoners. She had to be kept close... and he was afraid of that. He was a damned fool, a bloody damned fool. He was supposed to be a strong warrior and Prince with no emotion.

Zuko sighed softly, he hated feeling that way. He sighed softly, wanting to understand just what was going on between him and her. She said nothing as he approached her.

"Ready to eat?" he asked. She smiled and nodded. He fought the urge to smile back at her, keeping his face calm-looking. He needed to get a grip on his feelings.

Presently Iroh was with them, looking forward to tea and breakfast with the girl and he seemed a bit surprised to see Zuko would be joining, but simply smiled cheerfully as he poured them all tea. He pushed back the smile towards his uncle as he sat down, keeping up his calm and neutral face.

Katara said nothing either, but Iroh didn't really suspect anything was wrong, Katara looked cheerful enough and at least Zuko did not appear upset. They finished breakfast and Zuko got up, looking down at his uncle.

"I have to take Katara down to the brig." he said simply. Uncle smiled and bowed at him as the pair left. The Prince bowed back silently.

Katara sensed something was amiss, for he didn't make eye contact with her, but she didn't raise questions. Perhaps he was just occupied in his mind, she herself got thoughtful sometimes. So no big deal, right? It wasn't as if they had argued or anything, so he had no reason to be upset with her, though she did feel concerned. Her heart lightened a little as she saw Sokka and Aang, and the way they responded so enthusiastically to her presence.

Aang quickly pressed himself against the bars, reaching through to her. It had been over a week and the guards wouldn't tell them anything, no matter how nice he was in asking. They simply remained mum when the subject of Zuko and Katara came up, and he did not like it one bit, especially considering his night time conversation with the Prince. What was the secret? He looked past Katara, seeing the Prince.

"I will wait outside." Zuko told her, leaving while she knelt beside Aang. Katara nuzzled Aang's hands, wishing she could just remove his shackles.

"I missed you." she said softly. To the boys she looked like a Fire Nation peasant in her simple linen garb, but Aang noticed by how the fabric draped across her body that she looked thinner than before.

A quick inspection of the cell proved that their decent treatment had continued, for that she was glad. But no matter, she had to find a way out for them. She had searched Zuko's cabin for things she could sneak down there, but as if he read her thoughts, anything that might be used as a tool or weapon was out of reach.

"How have you been?" Katara asked gingerly.

"Okay, I suppose." Aang sighed softly. Katara smirked dryly at that.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner. I was... kinda out of commission for a while. But rest assured, I haven't given up on trying to figure a way to get you out." she promised, "But Zuko's been real careful, he's not taking any chances. I search the cabin, but I can't find a single damn thing. He won't even let me hold onto the chopsticks. And I'm always under guard otherwise."

"You'll think of something." Aang said with a smile, "Don't we always figure a way out?"

"I will. And you're right." Katara said, feeling a little better when she looked into his eyes. He was right. They had always gotten out of pinches, didn't they?

"Let's all keep trying, ok? And if you do find a way out..." she sighed, having thought about this for a while, "don't bother coming after me, just get out."

"But, Katara, we can't leave you here…"

"I know. But you are far more important than I am. If you die or remain a prisoner, the world loses hope. If you try to get me, you may get recaptured, as Zuko keeps me locked up. Your life is far more important than mine." She said softly, her voice betraying intense emotion. Sokka looked up at her silently, seeing that she was trying to not cry, and he reached up to gently touch his sister's face.

"I'm serious. First chance you get, just run. We're getting closer and closer to the heart of the Fire Nation. Just get the hell away and hide. Please. Promise me you'll just run."

Aang took a deep breath as he looked at her and nodded, albeit hesitantly.

"Thank you." she sighed softly, "I wish I was free, but...your freedom is far more important. I mean, if you're lost, I don't want to think about what will happen. If I am lost…" she shrugged, "I'm just a lone Water Tribe girl of no consequence. You're the hope of the world, not me."

Aang shook his head as he looked at her, wanting to hug her and reassure her. She was so selfless, making him promise that.

"I'm always thinking of you." she said softly

"I know." he said with a small smile.

"No matter what, you'll always be my brother and friend." she said with a soft sigh as she looked at the two of them, "Is there anything else you need down here?"

"It gets warm down here. We'd appreciate having some fans." he commented. She nodded. As they sailed towards the archipelago of islands that was the heart of the Fire Nation, the weather got warmer, and she no longer needed to wear thick robes.

"I'll see what I can do. Is there anything else? Maybe I could get another game down here so you're not stuck playing mahjong all the time."

"Well...do they have chess? Or Pai Sho?" Aang asked and she nodded.

"I will see if I can get a set down here." she promised. "Remember what I said. If you can, just run, don't look back. I love you both." She stood up as she heard footsteps in the hall.

Zuko opened the door and Sokka detested the look in the Fire Prince's eyes. The Prince just looked at his sister coolly... as if she was a _thing_. What he wanted to do right now was throttle that man for using his sister but bars stood between him and his captor, and he imagined his own dark hands on Zuko's pale neck, squeezing and wringing…

The door slammed shut, and Katara followed Zuko in silence. She wondered if she had done anything wrong. The breeze on her face did feel good as he led her onto the dock. It was a crisp morning, made all the more by the clouds that obscured the sun. But it was nothing to a Water Tribe native, she had been in weather far, far colder than this.

"What's wrong?" she asked him as he looked out at the sky quietly. He shook his head and she was about to open her mouth but shut up. She didn't want to make him angry, and she was enjoying the walk. They strolled along the railing and she looked down at the water and the waves crashing up against the side. It was amazing that metal could float like this, but then the Fire Nation, as much as she disliked them, was impressive.

She looked up at Zuko, smiling at him a little, hoping to cheer him up.

"Thank you for coming with me." she told him, but he said nothing and simply nodded silently. He walked her along the dock and they came to the bow and he stood quietly as she stared out at the ocean.

"Are you okay?" she asked with concern.

"Yes, I am quite well. Enjoy the fresh air." he said simply. Before she could say anything, one of his guards approached him to talk about something, and Katara was left at the bow by herself.

Zuko knew she wouldn't try to escape, so he left her there while the guard talked with him about the ship's course and other relevant matters.

She placed her hand on the railing, inhaling the air as the boat sped onwards to its destination. Something bothered him but what? She hoped it wasn't anything she had done.

o0o0o0o

Zuko had not said much the previous day, and today was no different. He was on one side of the deck, working with a group of soldiers and drilling them, while she simply leaned against the railing, looking out at the ocean. It was cloudy again today, and the showers were scattered but light. She longed for a little sunshine on her face.

He had simply taken her out to the dock and set her loose, letting her just sit or stare off or wander around with the admonition to behave herself. He'd not said much of anything to her since the time they had made love. Last night he had taken her again and they both had enjoyed it, but she sensed that he was hiding something. The tenderness he had shown before was gone, and he had seemed guarded, saying nothing at all during their intimacy.

She turned her head, watching the soldiers working their drills for a bit, observing them all shoot fire in unison before walking down the dock, wondering if maybe she could find a way down to the dungeon or figure out a way for her friends to escape. However, before she could leave the front part of the ship, a soldier moved in front of her and shook his head silently.

"The rhinos are on the back deck right now for their exercise, and they can be dangerous." he said simply. She said nothing and went back to the railing, sighing softly and playing with the waves of the ocean, causing mini whirlpools.

Maybe she had angered him when he overheard what she had said in the dungeon? She sighed softly, raising her face to feel the nonexistent sun. The gray skies seemed to match Zuko's mood.

During her recuperation she had grown a bit pale and lost a considerable amount of weight. Was it possible...he was bored with her? She hoped not, and she was surprised at this thought. She wanted to be with him? She...had truly enjoyed his company. She knew that if they parted ways, she would actually miss him. But did he feel the same way? She sighed and leaned her head against the railing, staring down at the waves.

o0o0o0o

They sat across from each other at the table, eating supper. She was afraid to say something to him, but she truly wanted to know and with a sigh she looked at him.

"Have I done something to offend you?" she asked meekly. Zuko looked up at her and shook his head.

"Are you sure? You seem...angry with me. You have not said much to me yesterday or today. If I did something, I didn't mean to and I'm sorry." she bowed her head in submission. Inside, she rebelled at this, but she knew that right now it was best to just act pleasant and obedient.

He shook his head, realizing that she'd thought she'd done something wrong. He had not meant to give her that impression, not at all and he felt guilty about making her worry.

"It's...not you." he said simply before taking a bite of rice.

"If I may ask...what is it?"

"It's nothing." he replied quickly. Katara was about to open her mouth and ask again, but she held it back.

"If you want to talk to me anytime, I'll listen." she offered instead and fell silent. He paused and nodded. She took a few more bites and put down her chopsticks, finishing off her goblet of wine.

"May I be excused?" she asked. He nodded silently, thoughtfully chewing on a mouthful of fish.

As Katara left the sitting room, she gave a quick glance over her shoulder, her eyes filled with concern for him. Their eyes met for the briefest moment and she left, saying nothing. She changed into one of the lighter sleeping robes and slid into bed, the exercise today had been much needed, and for it, she would sleep well.

The young Prince wished he knew what was wrong with himself. He had never expected this to happen. To the Fire Nation, people of other nations were just to play with and rule. He couldn't believe he had... actually fallen for Katara, fully and truly. But he could never truly show his love for her, for if he did it might kill her. He sighed hating how guilty he felt, wishing there was a simple solution for this.

He had to put on the appearance of a prince and a concubine, like it or not. He had to be very careful how he treated Katara in front of other people, especially Ozai and the other nobles. However, if he put on the appearance of a proud prince who had captured a lovely Water Tribe woman to use as a toy, that was entirely acceptable. A few Fire Nation men, in the past, had taken Earth or more rarely, Water women as concubines.

It would hurt, but it was the only way he could keep Katara close without getting her hurt. He did not even have the power to challenge his father. Well, he could... But only if the time or circumstances was right, and despite what his sire had done to him, he remained a filial son. He would not go against his father. He had learned from his mistakes and the scar was the most brutal reminder...

Katara stirred as she felt his weight shift onto the bed and heard his soft breathing. He lay there deep in thought remembering the time he had challenged Ozai only to see just how truly powerful and ruthless his father was. But one day he would surpass his father…

She curled up to him and he allowed himself a small smile as she slept and he wrapped his arms around her lithe form.

"Is there anything I can do to please you?" Katara asked softly.

"Stay with me." he stated simply and she nuzzled him. He smiled and nuzzled her back, holding her tightly, and she kissed his scar. She thought about his behavior that day and what he had told her just now.

"Zuko... would you rather I keep my distance from you when you are with other people?" she asked and he paused for a moment.

"It's not that I do not like it when you show me affection I just…" he looked down, "Never mind." He cursed himself inwardly for not admitting that he cared about her.

"I understand." she said softly, "You are the Fire Prince and I am but a Water Tribe peasant. I will...save my affection for when we are alone, and I will behave in the correct way otherwise. You have but to tell me what is appropriate behavior." she said and he nodded. She wasn't quite correct, but he had to let her believe that. He was worried about her. Was it a good idea to take her into Fire Nation lands? Or her friends? He was wondering why the hell he cared so much.

Once he brought back the Avatar, his honor would be restored. Simple as that. But at the same time he knew what awaited the Avatar. The Avatar was but a child, with a pure heart…unlike his father. Or Sozin. He sighed softly, staring up into the darkness as his concubine slept. These questions came at him again and again. Was he wrong or disloyal for thinking them?

These questions made it harder for him to see black and white . He wondered if Katara was right and he could make a home for himself. Or if he could simply turn around and let the Avatar go and challenge Ozai himself when the time was right. An alliance with the Avatar...

The thought was tempting, but he bit it back. He had worked too long and hard for this, and was almost home. He would not throw it all away. Even as he resolved this decision, his doubts still nagged at him.


	10. Understanding

Hot Water

Chapter IX – Understanding

o0o0o0o

Katara closed her eyes and lifted up her head, feeling the warm sun kiss her face as the wind blew through her loose hair. It felt good being out here. She needed the exercise badly, but she had not felt like it much during the gray, gloomy days that had been the norm in the last few days.

She still had the nightmares of seeing that dragon coming at her. These nightmares had also kept her inside yesterday under the covers, shaking visibly until at last Zuko had announced they would stop for supplies and that she was to stretch her legs and get some exercise. The ship refreshed its supplies quickly on a Fire Nation island, not even staying for a night. They were getting closer to their goal anyway, and the only supplies they had loaded up on were the perishables.

She ran her hand along the railing, looking out at the water, hearing the sounds of the soldiers on the deck practicing their Firebending. She looked over her shoulder, watching them quietly, seeing Zuko converse with Iroh. Ever since the attack, Zuko had been more considerate of her needs and had gone to great lengths to make her feel better, and having that conversation two nights ago had helped her to feel better and understand him more. So now when she was outside the suite, she just kept quiet and did not speak to Zuko unless he spoke to her first.

Sometimes she felt as if he saw her as more than a mere concubine, and other times he would look at her…in a way that she could not describe. She would never forget the anguish and worry in his eyes when he looked at her as she was healing, and the care he had given her.

The young Waterbender quietly observed the soldiers, keeping her distance, admiring the display of fire as they trained, watching the flames shoot into the air. No one had ever been mean to her or done anything to make her feel like an enemy. She wondered who had trained them, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to know. They were Fire Nation after all. Weren't those men supposed to be her enemy? But at the same time they treated her as if she was a civilian, offering her no harm or threats, only stepping in her way if she tried to wander to restricted areas.

She sighed softly, looking back out at the ocean as the ship moved forward before she turned around again. There were a few soldiers on the deck not Firebending and... Wait. She stood still for a moment. It couldn't be. _Yes it was_. Sokka and Aang were up here. Her feet would not move for a few moments before she finally propelled herself forward along one side of the ship, avoiding the practicing soldiers. What were they doing out? She hoped they were not to be punished.

Their wrists were shackled, Aang's ankles were also similarly bound, and they were flanked by several guards, but otherwise they seemed well, and they didn't show any signs of abuse. She quickly walked over to them, looking over her shoulder at Zuko. He was looking over at them, but he said and did nothing. And when she approached them, no soldiers moved to stand between her and them.

She didn't look any plumper or healthier than she had before, Sokka noticed with chagrin. Aang had also noticed, Katara looked the same as before if not thinner and he remembered when Zuko had come down that one night, he had refused to say anything about Katara. Had something happened to her? Had Zuko...been starving her? That thought did not sit well with the Avatar.

"How have you been?" she asked in a small voice, one that sounded a bit rusty from disuse, as if she did not speak much. _Does Zuko not allow her to talk,_ Sokka wondered darkly. "I hope they've been taking care of you."

"So far anyways." he mumbled. Katara smiled wanly upon hearing that and nodded. Aang looked at her wan smile and drawn expression, deciding to try to cheer her up a little.

The Avatar reached out to her, touching her arm with his hands. "It will be okay." he whispered reassuringly, trying to cheer her up. It pained him to see his best friend like this. Sokka also looked at her with concern and and nodded, silently cursing his binds because he could not hug her like he dearly wanted to.

"I hope so." Katara sighed softly. Though Zuko had at the least been good to the three of them, he could have done horrible things…starvation, beatings, torture, one side of her said. But they came closer and closer to the Capitol. Time was running out, the other side of her argued hotly.

She felt a little dizzy from standing up for so long. She was still a little weak and she had barely touched her breakfast that morning. The world began to spin and she let out a small gasp, feeling hazy, letting out a soft whimper as she staggered towards the railing and leaning against it. She sunk to her knees, pressing her forehead against the cool metal, taking shallow breaths and silently praying for strength.

The boys could not help but wonder just what had happened to her, why she had looked so thin but when they tried to go to her, the guards stopped them.

"But she's sick." Sokka protested, pushing against the guard that held him. He blinked as he saw the Prince stalk towards her and kneel next to her, taking her hand into his and checking her pulse. Aang continued struggling against the guard, but he held firm.

"The physician is coming up here." Zuko stated quietly, satisfied that her pulse was steady.

"Take your hands off her!" Sokka snarled, trying to shove past his own guard. Zuko stood up slowly and stared at the Water Tribe youth evenly.

"Do not presume to tell your Prince what to do."

"You aren't my prince, you bastard! Grow up!" Sokka yelled, venting his pent-up anger and frustration. Aang's eyes widened as the Fire Prince looked at him with a cold smirk, a bit amused even though he was also annoyed. Was the boy challenging him? The thought seemed absurd to him considering how the boy had no powers of his own. Katara raised her head weakly, staring at both of them. She tried to speak out their names, but could not.

"I grew up a lot faster than you." Zuko said in a low, deadly tone, "And I will do with Katara as I please."

"Does that include starving her?" Sokka snarled. Zuko blinked, looking genuinely surprised, which Aang noted. Perhaps he was not responsible for that? But that still did not explain Katara's appearance or her weakness. He noticed an older man – the physician, he recognized – approach Katara and check her pulse, looking into her eyes and feeling her forehead.

"She needs something to eat, and to sit down for a bit." he told the Prince. The scarred youth nodded, about to order the guards to take the prisoners back inside, but only for a moment before he decided to simply let the three of them to eat together.

"Have the cook bring a quick meal for all of them. And have a bowl of broth for Katara." he told a guard. The man scurried inside to place the order. Aang slowly turned to Zuko, the guard having loosened his grip on the Avatar.

"So you... are not responsible for this?" the Avatar asked as neutrally as he could. Zuko slowly shook his head.

"I have no interest in torturing anyone, especially a woman. It is not honorable to do so."

"So what happened exactly?" Sokka demanded.

"An assassin happened. I was the target but when he couldn't get close enough to me, he went after her." Zuko stated simply.

"So it was your fault." Sokka began, narrowing his eyes.

"Let it be Sokka, she doesn't need any more fighting." he whispered, looking over at Katara who was nodding to something the physician was saying. The Prince narrowed his eyes at the Water Tribe boy before he could say anything further.

"Just be glad you're being let out for some exercise." Zuko stated flatly.

"If you both care for her, then you will both stop arguing with each other." Aang said, trying to calm them both down. Zuko said nothing, looking away, clenching his fists, which the youth duly noted.

"You act... as if you are brothers or at least brothers-in-law." Iroh pointed out. Sokka wrinkled his nose in open disgust at the prospect.

"What a ridiculous statement." Zuko said flatly. The Dragon of the West bit back a knowing smirk upon hearing that. The guard brought up a basket full of food.

"Now shut up and eat before I decide to send you back to your cells without food." the scarred youth said briskly, starting to turn away from them. Aang looked appalled by Zuko's attitude, and Iroh shook his head, chiding Zuko mildly.

"At least be kind to the Avatar, Prince Zuko, he's not said anything bad now has he?"

"I'm feeding him." Zuko shot back, "Rather decent food on top of that."

"But they are friends of Katara's and do deserve some time with her."

Several of the soldiers stood guard as Aang and Sokka sat near Katara. One of the guards placed a bowl of thick broth in front of her. She stared down at the bowl for a few moments before picking it up with slightly shaking hands and Zuko stood next to her, leaning down and whispering to her.

"Are you well?" he asked.

"Yes." she responded in a whisper as she took a tentative sip of the broth.

"You should have been eating more." he chastised quietly. She nodded, offering no argument.

"Yes, Zuko. I know."

"You need to eat." Zuko repeated firmly. She nodded and slowly sipped at her broth, it tasted good and helped to rouse her appetite a little. He looked down at her, hiding a smile before he backed away from the trio, letting them eat as he went back to drilling his soldiers.

Iroh meanwhile kept an eye on everything, observing silently from his stool and table as he drank his tea. He knew full well that the Avatar's comment had ruffled his nephew's feathers, and with good reason as well, at first, he himself had thought Katara was just a toy, an outlet for Zuko's frustrations and energies.

But now he knew she was more than that to Zuko even though the younger Firebender refused to admit it. And Zuko had a good reason for not admitting it, he mused silently. What was more, he hoped that his nephew could admit it someday... though any time soon, it was out of the question, with Ozai around. Iroh would help his beloved nephew keep the Waterbender safe.

His eyes moved between Zuko and his soldiers, and the prisoners. Sokka was eating ravenously. Aang was eating more slowly, savoring the warm food. Katara was simply sipping at her soup.

Katara finished her broth and set down the bowl, folding her hands in her lap, letting the hot liquid settle in her stomach and warm her up some.

"Aang?" she asked softly, seeing the food basket near him. The broth had helped to rouse her hunger, and she wanted something solid. "Could I have one of these stuffed rolls?"

"Sure, Katara." he replied with a small smile. But Sokka acted first, reaching inside and procuring a meat-stuffed roll, handing it to her, their hands touching briefly as it passed from him to her and she looked up at him. He gave her a small but brotherly smile and she stared back at him before she sunk her teeth into the roll. It was savory and very soft, almost as if it was not baked enough so the crust was tender, with cooked bits of spiced meat stuffed into its center.

It tasted a lot better then what she, Sokka and Aang had had before they'd been captured, with foraging and hunting for food when their cash had run low… Well, that was one upside to this ship. Delicious meals prepared by a competent chef.

And at times there was good company too. Slowly she glanced over at Iroh. He smiled politely at her and bowed his head just a bit. Katara smiled back a bit then looked over at Zuko. He looked so serious, as if he was an old man in a teenager's body. Growing up during war often did that to people, how well she should know that! The death of her mother, the absence of her father... she had to wonder how carefree she would be right now if there was no war. Blossoming into maidenhood, perhaps a crush here and there, enjoying day to day life, courtship…

But no, her mother was dead and her father off fighting a stupid war that had raged on for a century while her innocence had been taken from her, and she was headed into an uncertain future. And Aang was headed into a future darker than hers. She leaned back against the railing, no longer hungry, and just watched as Sokka and Aang ate the rest of what was in the basket. Finally the basket was empty, and Sokka looked a bit dejected, but he also looked glad to be out in the sun.

It was a nice day, Sokka mused silently, wondering if they should attempt an escape. There was the wild chance that they might be able to swim far enough to...somewhere. Okay so he hadn't thought everything out yet. But damned if he was going to let the Fire Lord have the Avatar and Zuko have his sister!

"You should walk around for a while." Katara said softly, "Make full use of your… outing."

"Sure." Sokka said, still trying to work something out in his mind. He and Aang got to their feet, and although a few guards remained close to them at all times, they were allowed to walk and stretch their legs. But there were still the chains around their hands to deal with, and the Avatar's ankles. The guards wouldn't take them off. And how to get off the ship? They couldn't really swim with shackled hands…Damnit. Zuko really had thought of everything, and he wished Appa would fly down and snatch them up.

Theoretically, if he got close enough to Aang, he could try and pick the locks on the chains and Aang could use his powers to help them both escape, but one guard kept himself between them, and he did not have anything to pick a lock with. He kept his thoughts to himself as he walked along the dock, taking the opportunity to stretch. Katara was right. Zuko was not taking any chances. He could try to make a run for it… but where to run to? There was no land in sight.

He and Aang walked around the ship once, coming back to Katara. He was definitely including his sister in his plan even though she told them to just run for it if they got the chance. Hell if he was just going to leave Katara behind to be ravished by Zuko and whoever else. Said Prince walked over to them as if he had read their minds.

"You have been out long enough." he stated firmly and Sokka grumbled but said nothing. "And you have been out long enough too." Zuko told Katara, "We're going back to my cabin. You need your rest…" he leaned over and whispered to her so no one else heard, "I'll be there with you."

She looked up at him while Sokka glared at Zuko, not knowing what the Prince had said to his sister but he was sure he would not have liked it.

"At least let my sister and me go, you have the Avatar." Sokka said loudly. Zuko slowly rose and glared at Sokka levelly before crossing his arms. Sokka scowled at him.

"Let her go." he repeated, "you can find what you want somewhere else. You have the Avatar. Don't make Katara be a part of your sick and twisted game just because she happened to be with us. Leave her alone!"

Aang sighed softly, moving in front of them both, hoping he wouldn't be attacked by either of them.

"Harsh words won't solve problems, actions will and Sokka? Katara's sick and needs rest, staying in a warm bed is good for her…" he hid a gulp before looking at Zuko, "and Zuko, at least let her talk to us and spend more time with us. We're her family and just…she needs us, ok? Seeing us and talking with us will help her feel better…"

Zuko was about to say something scathing to Aang but he just couldn't, not after looking at that gentle face and these soft grey eyes.

"I will keep Katara to do with as I please." he stated to Sokka coldly, then looked back at the Avatar, "And I may consider your request."

Aang tried not to flinch at Zuko's cold tone. "Please do more than consider or reject it, even you must have family who love you. We care for Katara." he said. Zuko stiffened a bit and stared down at the Avatar.

"And what would you know about family, being raised by monks?" he asked with a sneer.

"Because I had a father figure to look up to, one who loved and cared for me very much and guided me and always tried to make me happy." he said simply, thinking fondly of Gyatso.

"Guards, take them away." Zuko ordered.

As they left, the scarred Prince scowled more darkly, rather unnerved by the Avatar. That boy was just too perceptive! And his powers... The soldiers had reported to him that his eyes and his tattoos had glowed a few times, followed by huge gusts of wind that always flattened the soldiers against the walls, and the hallways and vents would scream with the air that rushed through them. The rattling sound of the vents had woken him up several nights ago, fortunately Katara had been in a drugged sleep. Although she had heard it once before that when she was partially out of her haze, and asked him what it was though he had an inkling that she suspected what the cause of it really was. She had been partially out of it so she didn't say anything more about it.

The first time this had happened, the night after Katara was stabbed, he had been so startled by it that he was speechless for a moment. The rattling had been deafening and he had come to think that his ship was under attack, but when he felt the whooshing through the vents, he knew who it was.

Aang had been punished by being denied food for a day. But that did not stop him from having another fit a few days later. He would be glad when the child was out of his hands…

"Come now, Katara." he said quietly, helping her to her feet and placing a hand on her shoulder. She said nothing as they walked back to the cabin and she lay down on the bed, staring up at him for a few moments.

"Are you going to consider it?" she asked quietly. He said nothing for a moment before he nodded a yes. And when she looked at him in gratitude, he couldn't help but smile back a bit.

"How do you feel? Is there anything you need?"

"Well, I would like some water." she asked and he nodded, bringing her a cup.

He picked out a light sleeping robe for her and sat down next to her, watching quietly as she sipped from the cup until it was empty. His hand found the cup and he gently slipped it away, setting it aside as he guided her over onto her stomach and started to rub her back. She closed her eyes, going limp and surrendering to his touch as his fingers and hands pressed down along her spinal cord, soothing her.

His long and strong fingers worked over her masterfully and she barely noticed when he took off her top and pants. She was now naked but for her undergarments, but he made no move to take advantage of her even when he could have fully well. He would take care of her right now, nothing more, nothing less. It was what she needed at the moment.

He helped her into the other robe and she looked up at him with half-lidded eyes.

"Thank you. That felt good. " she said softly and He smiled before placing a light kiss on the side of her neck. She shivered and smiled a little as he continued his affections with a tender nuzzle, and her hand went up to touch his lips.

"Thank you, for taking good care of me."

"I only want you to feel better."

"And I appreciate that." She smiled warmly. "Will you stay or do you have to go?" she asked.

"I shall stay." he replied and she smiled at him even more.

"Perhaps we could play mahjong or another game if you like?" she asked.

"Certainly."

"Can we have some tea?"

"But of course." Zuko said before he went out, placing an order to bring up some tea. In a bit he set the tray on the bed, pouring a cup for her and they sat there together quietly, sipping tea and playing games.

She set down her cup and gently touched his hand.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked and she nodded.

"I don't feel so dizzy."

"I am glad."

"I also want to say...thank you for...treating Sokka and Aang decently."

"Suffice to say that your friend was correct…"

"About what?" she asked him curiously

"About how they're the only family you have left, and how I should let you and he and the Avatar spend more time together…"

She nodded quietly. Something in her told her that that would end once they got to the Capitol. She wished it wouldn't end. She lay her head back on the pillow and stared off quietly.

"I wish this voyage never had to end and that we could all... be friends."

"I know." he replied with a soft sigh.

"You can still turn back, you know. Or let them go..."

Zuko said nothing, staring off at the wall…feeling shame.

"We're not far from the Capitol, are we?" she asked softly. He shook his head.

"Almost a week."

Katara let the subject drop, not wishing to think about it anymore. He...seemed truly unhappy about it, and who could blame him, her least of all. Before he had been just a bastard, which was all she thought he was. A bastard who was just spoiled and petty and mean, a bully who wanted to take the Avatar for the glory of his nation. But now she saw a tormented young man unsure of what to do, trying to figure out what he really wanted. A man who needed her. She sat up to take him into her arms and he blinked, finding himself not resisting her touch.

"I'm here for you." she said softly and he looked up at her, his eyes filled with longing.

"I know. And I value that, Katara."

"I know you don't hate the Avatar."

"I never did. I mean, I'd become angry whenever he escaped but… it's nothing personal."

"I know...it's hard for you."

"I wish I'd never been given this task." he replied. She nodded and had him lay her head in her lap as she stroked his head and shoulder in the way she knew soothed him.

"What if you were to challenge Ozai and take the throne from him? You could restore the balance and end the war." She pointed out. "You know Aang would help you."

"I cannot do that, even if I was as strong as he was. I could not because he is my father…" a sigh escaped his lips, "I already learned my place last time. It was a brutal lesson. He is far too powerful, and he has the whole Nation at his command while all I have is a handful of soldiers…"

"You're so young." she whispered, "But you...sound so old at times."

He looked up at her again, their eyes locking in a gaze that neither of them dared break. He had the most gorgeous eyes she had ever seen and she could just stare into them forever... the rest of his face faded away, even his scar, as she found herself getting lost in these twin golden pools. She saw so many emotions in them…frustration, guilt, need, desire, wisdom, anger... and something she couldn't quite identify, or was afraid to.

"Sometimes I feel old too." she whispered, to no one in particular, and he nuzzled her. They said nothing, simply gazing at each other. There were no words, but then there was really no need for words, not when they could say it all with their eyes.


	11. Sing To Me

Hot Water

Chapter X – Sing to Me

o0o0o0o

Several more days passed, and true to his word, Zuko let Katara see her brother and the Avatar on a regular basis. By now, she was used to living on the ship, and wished it would never reach its destination. She mused about this quietly as Zuko slept next to her. She was let out on the dock every day now for exercise, and was no longer so bored, though the guards remained as vigilant as ever, efficiently preventing her from doing anything she was forbidden to do, whether it be snooping around, looking for tools, or entering a forbidden zone.

Stealthily, she slipped out of bed, her feet padding across the floor as she went to his meditation room. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she peered around the room, glancing at the sparse furnishings and the statue of Agni that was mounted on the wall in front of a low table that contained several candles that were burned down halfway. She closed her eyes, welcoming the quiet and solitude that this room offered.

Her breath quickened as she looked up at the sky through the window, taking in the heavenly sights, picking out familiar constellations and unfamiliar ones as well. She felt safe here.

She sunk to the floor, leaning her head against the cool metal wall, staring off before she started humming to herself.

_Sleep in the waves, little one_

_And let them carry you off_

_The water is a mother's embrace_

_Soothing and all encompassing_

Zuko muttered softly, rolling over in his bed, feeling a bit thirsty and deciding to get himself a drink of water. Lifting his arms he stretched a bit and when he lay them down, he paused. Something was amiss. He rolled over to Katara's side of the mat. She was not there.

The washroom door was ajar and no one was in there. He heard no noise that indicated her presence and sat bolt upright. Had she climbed out of the window? Panic settled in him and he bolted out of the bed, going to the window. _Damnit. Where are you? You're not hiding from me are you?_ he thought as he paced through his suite, looking for her. The door to his meditation room was closed, but he could hear a soft voice coming from the other side.

She sounded sad and he carefully pushed the door open, drawn in by the emotion in her voice, longing to hold her in his arms.

_Sleep well, my little iceberg_

_Let the snow be your blanket_

_And awake in a pure embrace_

_The waves and the ice purifies_

She was so engrossed in her singing that she was unaware he was in the room with her, listening to her song and drawing closer until he sat down behind her, pressing his chest to her back and laying his head on her shoulder.

Her eyes slowly opened and she froze, the next line of the song dead in her mouth. She stiffened, holding her breath as she felt his warm breath on her ear.

"Please continue." Zuko whispered. The Waterbender slowly turned her head to look back at him, and he saw tears. He gently started to kiss them away.

"What is wrong?" he asked. She shook her head, saying nothing, getting to her feet but he quickly pulled her back down, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"Please continue singing, you have a beautiful voice." he whispered, hugging her close despite her squirming.

"I... I can't." she said softly, but he held firm. She never sang for anyone else, only when she was alone, and it had felt strange knowing that he had listened to her.

"Please." he whispered into her ear, giving her a nuzzle. She looked down, saying nothing as felt a caress on her cheek. He didn't even seem angry that she had left the cabin without permission. Not even the least bit angry. Instead, he looked at her with concern and what she could swear was adoration.

"Let me go back to bed." she said softly, "I won't enter your meditation room again."

"It's just…" he placed a gentle kiss on her cheek, "I liked to hear you sing."

"I've never sung for anyone." she said softly, turning away from him and leaning her head against the wall, looking out the window.

"Let me be the first?"

"I..." she sighed softly, not knowing if she could pull up the courage to sing for him. She only sang or hummed when she was alone, it just felt strange to have an audience. She felt his hands on her hips and his body against her back.

"Please?" he asked. She shivered as his fingers gently trailed along her throat and side of neck.

"My singing is not very good. Or important." Katara said as she stared off, and she wondered why he would even care.

"It is exceptional and I am asking you to sing." he whispered, his embrace tightening a little as she felt his warm breath tickle her ear and cheek. She took a deep breath, taking comfort in his warm embrace. It reminded her of her mother, and it was her mother who had held her in her arms when she was little and sang to her.

Her lips parted and she started to sing very softly, and he simply held her, nestling his head on her shoulder as he smiled. She continued singing as she felt his embrace tighten.

_Be the iceberg, let the cold embrace you_

_You were born of the water, and into the water you shall go_

_Be strong, do not melt in the inferno_

_My little iceberg_

The way he looked at her so fondly made her smile a bit, and she started over, singing to him the whole song.

The song reminded Zuko of his mother. The feel and the rhythm of the words were almost as if the song that Katara and his mother sang were written by the same bard or poet, and changed to reflect the element that the singer belonged to. Both songs were also just a bit morbid, at least to a adult's perspective. A young child probably wouldn't understand the hidden meanings of the song, he knew that he himself had thought it was a innocent song when his mother sung it when he was little and it wasn't until after he died that he understood the undertones.

Her voice died away as the song came to an end and she looked down at the floor, covering her face with her sleeve so he couldn't see her cry.

"It's all right to cry, Katara. It is all right. Who taught you that song?" he whispered as he held her close, turning her around so he could see her face as he pulled her arm down.

"My mother." she said as she shook her head, forcibly removing herself from his arms and getting to her feet. It was as if...she had revealed an utmost private part of herself to him, one that no one had ever seen before. No, she _had _revealed a private part of herself, something she had vowed to not reveal to her captor.

He blinked and grabbed her wrist, pulling her back before she could leave the room.

"Don't go." he stated simply as he reached out with his other hand to wipe her tears. She sniffled softly, looking down as his hand caressed her cheeks. He tugged at her wrist, pulling her closer as he kissed and nuzzled her, tasting of her tears.

"I liked the song and I loved hearing your voice. I appreciate that you sang for me."

She looked up into his golden eyes. He was not lying. They usually were so fierce...but she saw tenderness in them, and she felt her heart skip a beat.

"I'm going to bed." she said softly, excusing herself from this very intimate situation and managing to wrench her wrist away from him. She felt a bit frightened, but he pulled her back.

"Please let me in. I won't hurt you."

"I already sang for you."

"You did, but now you pull away as if you are afraid."

She looked down. It wasn't just that. She felt as if she was betraying Aang by letting Zuko get too close. More than that. She had to get out of here, before all of her resistance melted away. Sokka and Aang were her first concern. How could she have been so stupid as to let him do this to her? She was his prisoner, damnit! This was never supposed to happen, never ever. He was the Fire Prince and she was a Water Tribe woman. Fire and water did not mix. She was so stupid for opening up to him and she vowed to herself that she would not let him in any further. She had heard of the saying _'Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer…'_ Had the person who came up with that ever imagined _this_ kind of closeness?

Katara said nothing, pulling away again and making her way out of the room before he could grab her. She said nothing, slipping onto the bed, knowing he would be here in a moment. She closed her eyes as she heard his footsteps, keeping the blanket over her head. But he pulled it down when he climbed into bed.

"You care for the Avatar don't you?"

"He's my best friend." she said simply. Zuko wasn't angry with that. He understood. She was as honorable as he was if not more, and he knew of her attempts to plan a way out. His soldiers had been instructed to not allow her anywhere near the storage rooms or anywhere else she could hide, and she always had someone watching her when she was on deck even though she didn't know it. Her activities were reported to him and he knew that she frequently skirted the 'forbidden' areas, trying to figure something out, and had even tried to pass or sneak by a few guards, but she was always stopped. He chose not to punish her for doing this. He really could not blame her for doing this, and as long as the soldiers kept an eye on her, she couldn't really do anything. So he just let her keep trying.

"I know, but I have my duty, Katara." he said simply. She nodded, saying nothing, letting that matter drop. She just curled up tighter, holding a pillow close. She would not argue with him. She was not in much of a fighting mood anyway. At least she knew that...Zuko didn't hate Aang or really want him dead. It was nothing personal, at least. The prisoners were well fed, given warm blankets and they were not tortured, although when the voyage ended… She did not want to think of it.

She felt his fingers gently trail along her neck.

"Thank you for singing for me. I hope you will want to sing for me again soon." he whispered as he placed a featherlight kiss behind her ear. She blinked and blushed a little but said nothing, staring off at the wall. For some reason she had a sudden urge to kiss him. She tried to ignore it but could not, and she rolled over so she faced him and placed a tender kiss on his lips.

The kiss he gave to her matched hers and his smile was warm and bright, much like a ray of sunshine. Did she really have such an effect on him? Did he really... care for her so much and draw such happiness from her? She hoped he did. It felt strange for her to want him to care for her.

She nuzzled her head into the curve of his throat and closed her eyes. Right now it just felt good in his arms, Here he was holding and kissing her... like a husband might do for a wife, she mused curiously. She kept her eyes closed but smiled as he placed kisses along her cheek.

He was not afraid to be gentle around her, at least when they were alone. Someday though, he wouldn't have to worry about appearances, at least he hoped. It just felt good to hold her and be gentle with her, and part of him was bothered about being so stiff and cold to her sometimes. But at least they had an understanding between them.

Katara mused about her situation as she felt the embrace and gentle touches, vowing to herself that she would not let him get any closer. That would be betraying Aang and her people. She had made the mistake of letting him penetrate her defenses. No more. She turned her face away, feigning sleep.

o0o0o0o

The Waterbender knew they would be arriving in Sozun in a couple of days. The winter in the Fire Islands archipelago was nothing like she had ever felt before. While cool, the weather was mild, even _warm_ compared to the bitter cold of a South Pole winter.

Several soldiers hovered nearby as Katara lounged on the deck, enjoying the sunshine and wearing a comfortable long-sleeved red qipao and matching pants. She looked down at the rivets that held the metal plates together. Running out of time, she had tried to look for a loose rivet or screw, even hopefully a tool that one of the mechanics had forgotten, figuring it could somehow be used to aid escape. But the soldiers had caught her, and she had been forbidden to examine her surroundings, and supervision was now tighter. It was hard to enjoy her time outside when several men were watching her closely.

Katara leaned on the railing, her eyebrows furrowing with curiosity as the ship pulled up to the docks of an island. Zuko hadn't told her they would be making a stop, and they were so close to Sozun that they didn't need to refresh their supplies.

A small group of guards emerged from the deck, and the Waterbender's eyes widened when she saw her brother as part of that group, free of his chains and dressed in a plain red tunic and gray pants along with a pair of used soldier's boots, making him look like a Fire Nation citizen. Since he and Aang had not been allowed to shave, the sides of his scalp had grown out a bit, sticking out from his head in messy brown bristles.

Zuko approached her, a distant expression on his face as he regarded her.

"What is Sokka doing up here?" she asked softly.

"I am letting him go."

"Letting him..." She tilted her head to one side trying to comprehend. He was turning Sokka loose? That's why her brother was no longer manacled, and now wore civilian clothing?

"Yes. There is no reason for him to come with us, and he's better off this way."

Katara was unable to speak for several long moments, but the metallic grinding of the ramp being lowered snapped her out of her reverie. She dashed towards her brother, flinging her arms around him as tears poured down her face. She would miss him, but she most certainly would not stop him from going.

"Katara..." Sokka sighed softly, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing her tight. After a while, the guards pried them apart.

"No! Let me take Katara with me!"

"Sokka, don't fight, please. You just got your freedom, don't forfeit it."

"How am I supposed to leave you behind?"

"Simple. Turn around and walk off the ramp." Zuko stated brusquely. Katara bit back a retort at the callousness of that comment. Sokka regarded the man who had captured his sister with a searing glare that could have rivaled any that even the fiercest Firebender could manage.

"Believe me, I want to go with you, but with these soldiers around, that's not happening." The young Water Tribe woman blinked back tears.

"Take him away." the Prince said, waving his hand. The azure-eyed youth started struggling, but with a pleading glance from his sister – and the firm handling of the guards – he let himself be led down the ramp. Inside, he was seething. What would he do? He would need to get off the island, but where to go? Should he go to Sozun, or head back and alert Bato? His mind was racing with the possibilities as he looked over his shoulder, seeing his sister, scowling as Zuko appeared at her side, their shoulders almost touching. Damn Zuko.

Katara felt a lump rise in her throat as the ship pulled away, leaving her brother on the dock. She knew she should be grateful to Zuko for letting her brother go, but that didn't make it any easier for her to bear. She started sobbing quietly, ignoring the men that stood watch over her.

Iroh placed his hand on his nephew's shoulder.

"That was a good thing you did, letting him go." the elder Prince murmured. There was no reason that the boy should remain a prisoner, and though it did not cancel out the fact that there were still two prisoners, he hoped that his nephew's kindness today would be looked upon favorably by the spirits, at least. May Agni protect them all, including the Avatar.

Zuko said nothing, turning away from his uncle and retreating to the solitude of his cabin.


	12. Heart of the Fire Nation

Hot Water

Chapter XI – The Heart of the Fire Nation

Well, folks. A pretty important turn of events here. Whoo! It was exciting to get to this point back when I first wrote it, and I am much happy with the tweaks. If you're enjoying this story so far, please be so kind as to leave a review. I love reviews, they're what keeps me going.

o0o0o0o

Katara could see it from the bow of the ship. The port, the Capitol… and the immense volcano that Zuko told her held the Palace. The city was still small from where she was at this current point, but even then, it looked majestic. It glittered in the sun like a polished ruby, and she could see the towers and spires of the Palace jut out above the volcano walls into the sky like points of a flame. It reminded her of the architectural majesty of Avatar Roku's temple, but on a larger and grander level.

The capitol of the Fire Nation was built around the base of the volcano, spreading out in a downward slope that headed down to the sea. The volcano and spires of the Palace rose above it all, like a stern parent looking over its children. Dotting the upper slopes of the land were several smaller – and paler versions of the grandeur of Fire Lord Ozai's domicile. These fine manors and estates were the homes of various nobles, and a bit of green – orchards and lawns – could be seen here and there, as befitting the comfortable estates of the privileged. Surrounding these in the more upscale part of the city were the more modest but still very nice homes and businesses of the upper class citizens. Further down the slope the unspoken caste system climbed down its rungs – and grew more crowded as well – with most of its poorest citizens at the outer ring of the city, with the exception of much of the shoreline. Right on the shoreline, there were many middle and upper class citizens who had taken nice seaside estates as well as many resorts and establishments, and the usual large swaths of land allotted to shipyards and docks.

Nearly a century ago, this city had another name, one that most of its current citizens did not know. But it was now called Sozun, after the man responsible for the war and the comet that was named after him. Fire Lord Sozin, in a fit of grandeur near the end of his days, had decided to rename the city after himself, a way to further his legacy even as life slowly slipped between his gnarled fingers, and there were few things like having a grand city bearing your name. His son, the teenaged Azulon, had accepted it and after being crowned Fire Lord, did not reverse his father's decision.

Zuko's ship would come to land in less than an hour, and Katara stood at the bow silently, looking down at the water. This was it. The end. All of her attempts, as well as Sokka and Aang's, had come up empty. They had always managed to escape before…but not this time. She ached for her brother, wishing he was there to take her in his arms and comfort her, but she was glad he was now free. Who could have known that Zuko was actually capable of such generosity?

Katara looked over her shoulder, seeing Zuko speak with his uncle and a few guards. She said nothing, looking back out at the ocean and the city, and startled a bit as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" he asked, giving her shoulder a light squeeze. She was wearing black slippers and pants, with a plain dark red silk robe.

"Nothing. Just looking at the water." she said nonchalantly. _You know very well what's wrong!_ she wanted to scream at him. She continued looking down at the waves, feeling a gentle breeze ruffle her loose hair. Some of her hair had been pulled back, leaving most of it loose in a style that Iroh had recommended. Zuko nodded and dismissed the soldiers and his uncle.

"What's wrong? Please tell me." he whispered. Her hands gripped the rail of the ship as she shook her head. He blinked and bowed his head a little, touching her shoulder lightly with his chin.

"It's about... this situation, isn't it?" he asked. Her silence and averted gaze was his answer.

"I must restore my honor." Zuko said simply.

"Is this really honorable?"

"Of course it is. My father gave me this task. I only want to end the War."

"Is there nothing I can do at all?"

"Not unless you can free me from what I must do or make my father change his mind about all of this."

"Ozai would never listen to me. It's too bad he's Fire Lord."

"If he heard these words, you would be dead for saying that…" he said after a little while, "believe me when I say that even one word can arouse his anger and contempt…" Unconsciously, his hand went to his scar. Her eyes widened when his fingers lightly touched his scar, she saw a distant look in his golden eyes as if he was recalling a memory… Was it possible? She had never asked him about his scar before, no wonder he didn't talk about it.

"Then why go home to him?"

"He's my father."

"No loving father would ever do that."

"I dishonored him."

"By doing what? What could have dishonored him so greatly that he would hurt you like this?" she said, resisting the urge to touch the scar with her own hand.

"I refused to fight him when I spoke out against one of his generals."

"That earned you... this?" she asked incredulously. He nodded slowly.

"One of his generals planned on using newly recruited Firebenders in the army who were not experienced, as a distraction from a much more experienced legion of soldiers. I... spoke out because I did not want to see a senseless massacre, and my father considered it out of turn. I was to have an Agni Kai with that general. The Fire Lord felt I had dishonored him when I spoke against a man he had handpicked himself and so... when I was taken to the arena, it was him and not the general that I was to fight. I would not fight him and he... took action."

"He does not sound honorable at all."

"I spoke out of turn." he said. She shook her head vigorously.

"You did nothing wrong." she said

"Yes, I did."

"What you did. speaking out...that was honorable." she pointed out.

"It was an act of disobedience and dishonor. He was right to punish me." Zuko replied, too firmly. She shook her head. Nothing seemed to get through to him, though she noticed a sad glint in his eyes.

"It's not too late, you can turn back. Just turn the ship around…" she pleaded and he shook his head.

"It is too late for me."

"But..." she fell silent, hearing the resigned tone of his voice. She lowered her head, walking away from him, feeling the wind rustle through her loose hair and robe.

Zuko said nothing, letting her walk away, holding back a sigh as he clenched his fists. He wished she was right. But the answer was not so easy.

Katara wandered the deck for a bit, not saying anything to the soldiers or even acknowledging them. The City came nearer and nearer, and she absorbed more details of it. She was awed by the magnificence of the city, but not in a good way. It was more a feeling of intimidation and overwhelmence. It was so large and as the ship drew closer to the port she could see banners. The Fire Lord knew Zuko was coming, and apparently had planned out this posh welcome.

Zuko and Iroh, as well as a few soldiers joined her at the bow, but she did not acknowledge them and simply moved aside, letting them have the whole area to themselves. She stood at the side like a dummy, her arms at her sides as she stared off, looking rather calm despite her ever-increasing anxiety.

Finally the ship docked, and she could see more of these banners, most with Fire Nation symbols on them, and people. Lots and lots of them, crowding around in a throng that frightened her. Most appeared to be middle or lower class citizens, as well as soldiers. So many Fire Nation people, _so many_…

She heard a sharp clearing of somebody's throat and turned to see a tall and broad-shouldered soldier with the Fire Nation helmet and mask on.

"It's time to go." he said. She nodded before taking one last look over the side of the ship. Perhaps she could throw herself overboard. She felt afraid to step into the Capitol and the water looked much more inviting, but what would that do? Just get her wet and get a lot of people pissed with her... unless she drowned herself.

She was guided over to Zuko and Iroh.

"I don't want to be here." she muttered, but no one seemed to hear. The spiked bow of the ship bent down, landing on the wooden dock, and the Avatar was brought into the light. Aang was shackled wrists and ankles, along with an additional chain that connected the two sets of shackles together to keep his arms down, and he had quite a few guards looking over him. He looked at her with these big gray eyes, trying to look brave, and her heart ached at the sight of him headed to his fate.

A rhino was brought out from below by a few soldiers and Zuko got atop it, everyone else following behind him. Another guard joined her first one, so Katara had a guard on either side. She had already been warned beforehand to behave herself, as well as instructed in the proper behavior.

A sharp rattle of chains – and not from Aang – drew her attention. She saw Shi-Ryuu shackled, even more heavily than Aang was, though his eyes remained defiant, and he shot her a glare before the guards tugged him along. A heavy metal collar weighed around his neck – a feature thankfully missing from the Avatar himself – and the thing looked rather forbidding, weighing on the Death Dragon's shoulders and back, forcing him to hunch slightly despite his muscular physique. Truth be told, he looked more like a dangerous animal than a human being.

The procession down the ramp was grim, and she could feel the eyes of all the Fire Nation citizens on them. She turned her head, seeing Aang walk the best he could given the chain that held his ankles close together. It would have been almost comical if it wasn't for the demise the child was headed to. They locked gaze for a fleeting moment and both of them saw despair in the other's features. She quickly looked away, staring down at the ground, feeling miserable.

Zuko rode high on the rhino, his chin held up, a look of defiant pride on his face. He had won. He would be honored again. He had done what his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather had not done. He had captured the Avatar. He would be remembered as Zuko, the man who captured the Avatar – not Sozin, Azulon, or Ozai.

He had sent a message three days before, to let the Fire Lord know he was coming, and to his relief, his father had cut no corners in the homecoming reception. Fire Nation banners fluttered along the route that climbed up to the Palace, and soldiers stood along the way to keep the civilians from pressing in too closely. It was a reception befitting a Crown Prince.

Everywhere, Katara saw the curious and prying faces of the Fire Nation citizens. She saw a mixture of emotions. Curiosity – that was a given, considering the Avatar was part of the procession, along with another prisoner that was more heavily restrained, the tattoo on his face drawing inquiring glances. Relief on some – especially the older ones, with the promise that the war may soon end now that the Avatar belonged to the Fire Nation, and no more soldiers need be lost. Skepticism here and there, and on a few faces, something akin to happiness. She felt many eyes on her, wondering what she was doing here, why she was wearing Fire Nation clothes, when her skin and eyes marked her as anything but a Fire Nation woman.

The guards looked formidable with the helmets that looked like the faces were skulls, bringing up very uncomfortable memories of years ago. What the hell was she, a poor Water Tribe peasant, doing here in the heart of the Fire Nation? Born and raised in the South Pole, fighting for survival in unforgiving elements, working hard for mere subsistence, watching as her family and the rest of the Water Tribe fought hard just to maintain their numbers, something that had been made difficult by the Fire Nation raid that had taken her mother along with others. She was one of a very small number of a poor and almost unnoticeable people and now… Now? She was the concubine and prisoner to the heir of the Fire Nation. She was a fish out of the water, in the truest sense of the word. _Out of the frying pan and into the fire_...

The first set of thick double doors opened as they reached the end of the road, and when the whole group was in, the doors slammed shut behind them. The second set of doors were constructed the same way, and she was glad to be out in the sunlight again after being in the short tunnel, and she noticed gardens and a small orchard beyond the soldier stations, obviously used for the Palace kitchens.

The doors to the Palace were made of dark wood and reinforced with metal, gold dragons worked into the design, one on each door so they faced each other. They opened when Zuko approached, and Katara tried not to stare too much at the intricate design of these dragons. But the dragons were only a mere glimpse of the opulence of the rest of the Palace itself.

The Fire Prince dismounted his rhino and climbed through the steps. It felt almost odd setting foot on these red marble steps. Almost three years, almost three years since he had been banished. And now…he was home. He had done what his father asked of him, and he would regain his honor and take his birthright. The walls and marble pillars and ornate hangings were strange yet familiar to him, and silence greeted him as he walked through the main hall with his entourage to the throne room where his father awaited him.

At the other end of the room stood a pavilion and a majestic golden throne, where a black-robed figure sat, regarding them all imperiously. Katara stopped as the rest of the party did, her hands at her sides, her gaze averted demurely as she had been instructed.

Zuko strode forward on his own, bowing before the throne. Katara dared not to look directly at the pavilion and instead kept her gaze lowered, seeing him through her peripheral vision. She saw nothing but black, red, and gold. On both sides of the room were the nobles and guards, in all shades of red and gold, as if they themselves were fire. How could one live amidst so much red? Didn't these people ever get tired or overwhelmed by this powerful color?

"My Lord. The hunt is over. I bring to you the Avatar, who is now ours after a century. And with him, the famed Death Dragon."

"They both look real enough." the Fire Lord stated, cold golden eyes watching Zuko, as if his stare could bore into his son's soul, "but then, appearances can be deceiving, especially when someone is naive enough to act first and think later." he added. Katara could almost hear a sneer in his voice. Zuko heard it too, but remained calm.

"I have learned much in my exile, my lord." the Fire Prince said respectfully, keeping his head bowed. Silence hung in the chamber for a few moments.

"I expected as much." Ozai stated coolly, "tell me, how did you capture him?" he asked in an almost sly tone, motioning towards the Avatar.

"A ambush." Zuko said simply, "We let them think they lost us."

"Ah, a flair for deception runs through you. Looks like you are more of a worthy heir than I thought." he said silkily. Inwardly, Zuko found himself feeling disgusted by that statement.

"And Shi-Ryuu?" Ozai asked, studying the heavily-restrained man. Shi-Ryuu stared back at him hostilely, and the Fire Lord smirked coldly. The assassin would pay for the deaths he had brought to several loyal supporters of the Fire Nation. He might have called his son a traitor before, but Zuko's actions in the War Room were nothing compared to the Death Dragon's misdeeds.

"He was sent to kill me." Zuko replied simply. The nobles gasped and murmured in surprise and awe, and the Fire Lord was genuinely surprised, though not overly shocked.

"Gaze upon my son. He has not only captured the Avatar, but he also has an enemy of the Fire Nation in custody, a man who was sent to kill him! And how many of Shi-Ryuu's victims were able to best him? None! This is a glorious day for the Fire Nation!" Ozai announced to the throng. Zuko stared ahead calmly, bowing to his sire in acknowledgment and gratitude. Now was definitely not the time or place – or person – to tell about Katara's involvement, how he might have been dead if not for her.

"And what of the girl?" his father asked calmly, hearing Zuko's breath catch in his throat for a moment, "why is she not chained up? She is a Water Tribe peasant after all, and here I see her in Fire Nation clothing instead of prisoner's garb."

Zuko looked up and smirked a little, letting his father see his seemingly cruel upturn of the lips, seeing a way to gain a point in his favor. He knew what kind of behavior his father wanted and what the Fire Lord and the nobility thought of the 'barbarian' Water Tribes.

"She was traveling with the Avatar and I decided to use her for my own satisfaction." he stated. The ruler of the Fire Nation let out a strange sort of amused cackle, and the nobles chuckled softly to themselves. Katara felt countless eyes on her, and though Zuko had warned her that he would have to say such things, the words still cut into her deeply. She fervently wished she was anywhere else but here and kept her head bowed, her hands at her sides as she tried to keep them from shaking.

"So you wish to keep her as a pet?" Ozai asked and Zuko kept the smirk and nodded.

"It's nice breaking her in." he said. Katara blushed, continuing to look down. Zuko had not enjoyed saying that and knew that Katara was hurt by the callous statement, but he had to put up appearances.

"Then you will not mind if I give her some of my attention. Agni knows, conquering is the birthright of those of our line." Ozai asked with a sneer, looking at Katara to gauge her reaction. He really had no interest in this barbarian wench, but that did not stop him from amusing himself at her cost. And amused he was, seeing her hands tremble slightly and a blush on her cheeks. Katara couldn't say anything, even though she had a thousand retorts on her tongue.

"I thought you preferred... the more docile women, my Lord." Zuko said respectfully. Ozai hated rebellion in women, and unlike some men, he hated women who liked to have minds and tongues of their own.

"Aha, so she's wild and untamed, such a pity." he said in that strange oily tone again before he turned towards the guards and to the Avatar, his penetrating gaze seeming to pierce the souls of those who were immobilized by it.

"Take the _Death Dragon_..." Ozai sneered as he said this, "to the interrogation chamber. Leave his manacles on, and secure him. I will see to him personally. Take the Avatar to the chamber that has been prepared for him, and secure him. I will also see to him. As for you, Zuko…welcome back, my son. You are honored. You are my heir. The Avatar is ours, and nothing will stop the Fire Nation."

"I am honored, my lord and I will do my best to serve you."

"Yes, I'm sure you will." the Fire Lord stated calmly and Zuko remained bowed, awaiting any further order. He was not quite sure what to do now, if he should leave or go to his old suite or otherwise. He felt many eyes on him and did not wish to make a mistake.

"Take your pet and return to your room. I have things to take care of and must personally see to the Avatar. I will send for you in the morning and we will hold a banquet tomorrow for you." the Fire Lord stated as he waved for Zuko and Katara and the guards to go, completely overlooking Iroh without even a word.

Zuko shot his uncle a wondering glance as he got up and walked away from the throne. His uncle shook his head just a bit, knowing that his dismissal as it was, had been intended to remind Iroh just how cold his brother could be when it came to those who had displeased him. The Prince said nothing, stalking out of the throne room with his group. Where would he put his guards? he wondered. He had no desire to just discard them and wished for them to stay close.

A servant came, obviously waiting for him and informed him of the quarters for the soldiers. He nodded and dismissed the guards. He knew they were loyal to him and if something happened they would go to him again. He'd earned their loyalty throughout the times that they had been together, and he nodded at them, letting them know that their loyalty would be rewarded later on, when the time was right.

All the while, Katara said nothing. She wondered where Iroh would stay, for she had certainly not missed Ozai's dismissal of the elderly man. The Fire Lord had also frightened her. He had been nothing but a shadow in her vision, but he sent an icy chill up her spine. She was glad she had never looked at him directly. It was almost as if he was the sun and she would be blinded for looking directly at him.

Zuko nodded to Iroh and he left with the soldiers. Katara quietly followed Zuko to his suite, taking in the decorations, the impressive marble stairway, the hangings and rugs and torches...Never had she imagined such splendor, and Zuko's cabin on the ship seemed bare bones compared to this. She looked forward to being in his new suite, actually wanting to be in there, to hide from everyone else. In the ship she wanted to be out in the open. Here it was the other way around.

She felt that icy chill and for a moment, she feared that the Fire Lord knew who and what she was and was watching them. She had never Bended in front of the guards, only Zuko and Iroh had seen her, but she still had that... feeling that something was not right, a feeling that had been there after she had seen those soul-piercing yellow eyes for the barest moment.

After all, that man had burned his own son, punished him for something that was noble to her. And all the stories she had heard of him! She said nothing as she sat down in one of the chairs in the grand sitting room of his apartments, and shivered a little. Noticing this, Zuko went over to her side. The suite was somewhat empty, there were plush furniture and rugs and the bed had been made up for Zuko's return with scarlet silk bedding, but there were none of his personal touches here. And she did not belong here.

"I will have my soldiers fetch the supplies tomorrow. We'll have our things in here soon enough." he whispered. She nodded, saying nothing. He sighed softly and touched her shoulder.

"I'm sorry. For everything." Zuko said. She shook her head. What was the use of being angry? It was game over. The Fire Nation had won.

"It doesn't matter."

"I'm still sorry." Zuko whispered, hoping she would look up at him or respond.

She remained silent, before rising from her seat and moving slowly to the balcony through the open doors and looked out, seeing the Imperial gardens. They were beautiful, she had to admit. And very impressive. And beyond the walls, the city. But she was afraid to go out. It was as if the city was her prison and the suite was freedom. She wanted to stay in the security of these rooms as foreign as they may be, which was ironic. Safe in the rooms of the Fire Prince?

She wondered how she could get down to the dungeons to help Aang, if she could find him… she stroked her chin thoughtfully. He shook his head and touched her shoulder as if he'd sensed what she'd been thinking.

"You must stay beside me at all times when you are out of my quarters." Zuko stated simply. The Waterbender was about to protest, but said nothing. He was right. The Avatar was bound to be heavily guarded, and Ozai thought little enough of her. She was not safe around his guards, like she had been safe around Zuko's guards. His guards had never threatened her and the only time they went against her was if she tried to wander somewhere on the ship that she shouldn't. Then they would simply stand in her way, but none of them had ever been violent with her. But would they change now that they were back home?

Damn all this. How long would this go on? She just wanted to be safe and secure, and have a home she could feel protected in, but how long would Ozai reign? He looked so healthy. How long would she live like this?

She walked past him, looking at the washroom and the bedroom, saying nothing. Life on the ship was actually better compared to this despite these posh surroundings. She lay down on the bed, remaining silent, burying her head in her arms and fighting back a bitter sob.

Zuko sat down beside her and took her into his arms and looked down at her sadly, seeing how distressed she was by all of this.

"I don't belong here." she said as she tried to wiggle away from him. He refused to let her go, looking down at her with sadness in his eyes.

"What about me, Katara?" he asked in an almost plaintive tone, but she said nothing. She tried to lift his arm from her middle but couldn't, and he wrapped his other arm around her, keeping her close.

"You are safe with me."

"But I do not belong here, not in the Fire Nation, not in your father's palace. Is it always going to be like this?" she asked softly, "I don't know if you noticed, but the way the nobles looked at me…"

"I know it is hard being here, but things will get better, I'll see to that. And yes, I did notice…" He narrowed his eyes slightly, his tone expressing disapproval of the nobles.

"I am not welcome here. And you are not Fire Lord, who knows when you will be? It may be a very long time." she said, remembering the Fire Lord's appearance and strength. The Prince nodded in agreement. Yes, his father had quite some time left in him… and he himself was only sixteen. Most of the Fire Lords did not even ascend the throne until they were in their thirties, though Azulon had been an exception, being born very late in Sozin's life and inheriting the crown at the young age of nineteen. He did not wish to wait that long, though he certainly had no desire to commit patricide even though his father now practically felt like a stranger to him.

An idea came to him, one that would satisfy both him and her… at least hopefully.

"We could get our own place near the harbor overlooking the water. It is not that uncommon for a noble to buy or rent a place for his concubine. You would have more freedom there, and it would be a place for me to get away to."

"That would be nice. You really would do that?" she asked, hope fluttering in her heart. Getting out of the Palace and living near the ocean... Oh! She might even have a chance to escape, but what about Aang?

"I... want to make you comfortable." he said quietly. She blinked and looked up at him. That...was the first time he had ever said anything like that.

"Hopefully my father would approve. And you would not have to see the nobles." he said. She nodded.

"It would be better. And make me feel more safe." She said nothing more, looking down. She felt fingers under her chin as Zuko lifted up her face, placing an utmost tender kiss on her lips. She could not help but smile a bit, but her thoughts returned to Aang.

What would Ozai do to the Avatar? She found herself despising that man, and it was a emotion she had never experienced before, not even with Jet, or the warden who had held Haru prisoner, or Zuko back then. And deep down...she knew Zuko did as well. Why she knew, she could not say. He would not admit to such a thing, and he probably wasn't aware of such a emotion himself. But she knew that concerning Ozai, Zuko had a powerful mixture of emotions running through his heart.

She looked up at him quietly and he nuzzled her. On impulse, she threw herself at him and hugged him fiercely, trying to not cry but failing in this struggle. He kissed away her tears as he tried to comfort her and she sniffled softly, letting the tears continue to roll.

"Know this Katara, you are always safe with me." Zuko whispered fiercely. She whimpered softly and nodded. She finally drew from him and wiped her face with her sleeve.

"So... what are you going to do now?" she asked softly. It was late afternoon now and she guessed it would be suppertime soon. What did royalty do in their free time?

"Stay here with you." he said as he gently touched her cheek. She went back into his arms, and he held her close, gently kissing her neck and face and lips, his fingers finding their way into her robes, but she did not resist, and moaned softly as he kissed along her earlobe. Right now she needed reassurance, and was willing to accept it from the Prince of the Fire Nation. His touch had always provided that for her, and she was grateful for the distraction from her current situation.

The young Waterbender nodded encouragement, and he smiled at her, his talented hands finding the areas of her body that were the most tense. She moaned softly as he lay her down on the bed and touched these areas, digging his fingers into them, rubbing her muscles. Her pants and light boots came off and he massaged her calves down to the soles of her feet and looked at her with a gentle and wistful smile.

She moaned softly and looked at him with half-lidded eyes. There were so many facets to him. The scared little boy, the ruthless bastard, the arrogant prince, the tender lover. And now she understood – at least somewhat, why Zuko wanted his honor back so much. Part of her was still very much upset with him but now much of her anger was reserved for Ozai. She knew Zuko didn't just want his honor back, he... wanted his own father to love him.

_But Zuko will never get that love_, her intuition told him. Yet she could not bring herself to say that, at least not right now. She sighed softly as he gently massaged her feet. He smiled and kissed her ankles before sliding up her body.

"My Prince." she whispered softly, wanting to just shut everything else out.

"My lady." he whispered into her ear, placing a kiss on her cheek. She smiled a little and gently stroked his scalp. Around him, she saw the surroundings and felt a little scared again. She felt scared of Ozai, of the Fire Nation, of what would become of the Avatar, even what might happen to Zuko. What would happen the next time he spoke out against his father? Zuko and Ozai were different, of that she knew. More than different. Under that hardened prince facade was an honorable soul... One that she felt strongly for.

She whimpered softly, looking away, trying to not cry again. It all felt too much for her and she was overwhelmed. Zuko blinked and gently turned her face to his, touching his nose to hers.

"What's wrong?"

"Hold me?" she asked in a soft tone, sounding like a little girl. He nodded quietly, taking her into his arms. She curled up to him, her tears falling on his breastplate. He held her tightly for several minutes, rubbing her back.

He then removed his arms from her, getting off the bed. Katara furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and he gave her a reassuring smile before removing all of his armor. He sat down on the bed in his comfortable red and gray clothing and held her again, resting his chin on top of her head.

He did not know what to say to her, not at a time like this. He could only imagine what she was thinking and feeling right now. He wanted to do something to take her mind off it all, at least for a while, so he pulled himself from her and removed his shirt to indicate what he wanted as he stared at her, silently asking for permission. She nodded.

The young Firebender nuzzled her after climbing back onto the bed and smiled, though he wished to say something to reassure her, but he could not. What could he say? He knew she was scared and she had a right to be. He had brought her here. Into the den of a monster far more worse then any he had faced. The same old questions and doubts surged back at him, demanding that he answer them.

Meanwhile Katara lay on the bed, her cheeks wet with tears, and Zuko pushed the doubts and questions away and held her close wiping her tears, tasting them with his fingers. She sniffled softly and looked up at him, her eyes as beautiful as ever, glassy from the tears she had just shed.

"I wish I could make things better." Zuko whispered and she heard truth and regret in his voice. All she could do was nod and he sighed softly.

"I really wish I could." he said she curled up to him more tightly. There were so many things he wanted to say to her, to ask her, but he could say nothing. All he could feel right now was her warm body pressed against his. He had to protect her from his father, which meant that he did indeed have to treat her like a 'pet' in public. And it wasn't just because of his honor that he had to protect her, it was because he...

He shook his head, pushing that thought from his head, and she gently trailed a hand along his chest.

"Are you going to...?" she asked gently, opening her legs slightly, her robe now open. He nodded before kissing her. She bit his lip very gently and he groaned softly, nuzzling her fiercely before sliding his arms from her. She lay back quietly, waiting for him. He gently pried her knees apart further and took her. He was gentle with her, caressing and stroking her body, wanting to give her something she could enjoy and remember with fondness. At least, he hoped that she would remember their union without shame or anger.

It did bring her some level of reassurance, and when they were finished, he held her as she curled up to him, having pretty much forgotten everything else while she was in his most intimate embrace.

"Feeling better?" he asked and she nodded. He placed kiss on her cheek before rubbing her back. Katara shivered in delight, rolling over onto her stomach, letting him do as he would.

She was about to touch his scar but drew back. His father had given it to him, wouldn't he be uncomfortable when she touched it, did it remind him of what had happened to him?

"What's wrong?" he ran his fingers along her cheek and she looked down, saying nothing.

"Please tell me…"

"I know you like it when I touch your scar...but doesn't it make you think of your father when I do?" she asked tentatively, but he shook his head.

"Really?" she asked and he nodded.

"It… when you touch it, I think only of you and your gentle touch. No one else has ever touched it like that. It makes me happy knowing you're the only one."

Katara then propped herself up on one elbow and started to gently kiss his scar, and he could not help but close his eyes, surrendering to her attentions. She kissed along the edges of it before she kissed along the most severely burned part of his face, around his eye, and he shivered again, delighting in the touch of the woman he adored as he pulled her even closer, wishing that he could stay like this forever.

She gently nuzzled the scar before leaning her head away, and he frowned a bit.

"Is something wrong?"

"Nothing. It's just… no other person I have seen has such… an intense shade of that gold in their eyes. It's hypnotic, even."

He was silent, looking at her as she gently ran her thumb along his lip.

"If it is possible, could I see the garden?" she asked, changing the subject, "I will understand if you say no, but..."

"I will take you down there myself. It has been a while since I saw the garden. I always liked going there even though my father did not care much for the flowers." Zuko had always enjoyed the garden. There were several gardens around the grounds, but this one was the best one, and the most private one.

They got dressed, and she helped him with his armor before they walked out to the garden. He sat on a bench as she looked at the flowers. The garden was empty, and Zuko was grateful for that fact.

He had often come here when he was a little boy, with his mother. He had always loved looking at the flowers, smelling them, taking in their beauty and variety, and the winters always made him sad because that meant the flowers were gone, hibernating deep in the ground until the next spring. When the warm season came, so did the flowers, giving any visitor a one of a kind experience.

Over fifty varieties of flowers grew in these impressive gardens, and one could look at them all by walking along the paths and across the bridges that ran across barely noticeable streams. The pond was home to koi fish and turtle-ducks, which liked being fed by the concubines and the guests. Once in a while, when he was little, his mother would smile as he threw a few crumbs into the water and slipped his fingers under the surface, leaning over carefully under her watchful eye, and stroke the scales of koi adventurous enough to approach his fingers. Here and there grew a small tree, filled with blossoms when the time was right, and a large cherry blossom tree sat near the pond. Not one single weed grew in sight, as the concubines and gardeners were careful in their care of the garden, and the paths were also swept and maintained, and the flowers closely watched, any dead leaves or other imperfections trimmed. It was also aesthetically pleasing, with gently curving paths instead of straight ones, and the flowers arranged and planted just so that they did not seem too orderly and strictly arranged.

Ozai had never cared much for the gardens, keeping them only for appearances and for tradition. After Zuko's mother had died, an excursion in the gardens became very rare as his father had kept him occupied with many other things... training, lessons, observation of Court functions, shadowing his sire…

It felt nice to just sit here again and inhale the scent, remembering his mother and her gentle embrace. Unlike his father, her mother had dark brown eyes, eyes that were so very different from Ozai's in their softness, and her raven tresses, when unbraided, fell down to her ankles. She was pale, even paler than Zuko was, but she was still very beautiful with a quiet strength that he admired. She was indeed fit to be the woman that had been chosen to be Ozai's consort, rather than just his concubine, and she was after all, the mother of his heir.

His mother had never had much use for jewelry and trinkets, like the concubines did, and Zuko had always liked it best when all she did was put a flower in her hair or the collar of her robe. Her bedchamber always smelled faintly of flowers, and he had liked sleeping in her bed in her arms, inhaling the scent of her hair and skin. Katara was very different from his mother in some ways, but in others aspects, the two were very much alike.

Katara gently ran her finger along the silken petals of a flame-red flower as Zuko watched her silently. He had always liked the dragon-hearts, and his mother had too. They were one of the flowers that blossomed outside of the spring and summer months, providing color and life to the garden. The garden looked pleasant right now, but when summer came and the flowers bloomed in all their glory, it truly was something to see.

He watched as Katara wandered over to a patch of rubyjasmine. The flowers were bright red with a deep violet at the center of the flower and a touch of gold at the end of each petal, making them look like ethereal bursts of fire.

He could not help but smile just a little as Katara explored the gardens, noticing the koi pond, and he could see the wonder in her eyes. The garden seemed to have a magical effect on them both and his heart felt just a bit lighter watching her wander along the plants. Being in the garden with her was the first time he felt at ease since setting foot on the shore of Sozun.


	13. Banquet of Fire

Hot Water

Chapter XII – Banquet of Fire

o0o0o0o

The morning after her arrival in Sozun, Katara woke up from a fitful sleep. She looked around, seeing the grand bedchamber and feeling the luxuriant silk against her body, absorbing the reality that the Avatar was now a prisoner of the Fire Nation, and so was she. The shock settled deep within her and she moved like a bare shell of herself, performing basic functions such as eating or cleaning herself like an automaton, inwardly dreading what would happen as time passed. She did not speak unless Zuko spoke to her, and had barely acknowledged when he brought her a stack of books to keep herself occupied, merely nodding when he promised that he would have more for her to do later.

When he left her with the admonition that she was not to leave the suite, she did not even argue. She simply sat in a chair and stared off blankly, replaying the events of the past over and over in her mind, agonizing over past choices she had made. She was wishing she had chosen a different area to stay in the night they had been ambushed, and wishing she had fought more for her freedom against Zuko. There were so many ifs that it just depressed her more. But on the outside she was blank-faced and moved as if in a trance all day, even after servants had come to tell her that they were there to prepare her for the banquet that evening.

o0o0o0o

Katara stood in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection with a distant expression the two maids did her hair, putting it up and decorating it with gold pins and beads. Her face was as white as the driven snow, with red on her lips and a bit of it around her blue eyes, which stood out as the only cool color of her whole appearance. She knew that her eyes would garner her quite a bit of attention, and cursed the formal makeup that marked her as an Imperial concubine.

The robes she wore were too fancy for her taste, with rubies sewn into the fabric with lavish designs in gold thread, and she did not feel comfortable in the overly splendid garment. She lifted her arms up as one of the women wrapped the gold sash of the obi around her middle, tying this up with a red satin cord. Her under-robe was a soft cream in color edged with gold embroidery, and the kimono itself was scarlet red with said rubies and gold, sewn into the pattern of flames. She did not know or care where the robe had come from, but she would be impressed if she had known that this had belonged to a favored concubine of Fire Lord Sozin. If the servants had known – and they assuredly didn't, because sometimes after one's death, clothing could be grabbed away and not properly catalogued – they would have placed her in something else.

She simply wanted to hide in Zuko's suite, rather than go out there and fall under the scrutiny of who knew how many Fire Nation nobles. And Ozai would be there as well.

Katara said nothing as she saw Zuko appear, standing in the doorway behind her. She held back a sigh, staring blankly at their reflection and not acknowledging him. She noticed a small smile on his face – presumably one to try to encourage her and make her feel better – but she did not offer one back to him, and simply looked down.

One of the maids started to remove the silver chain that held her mother's necklace and she jerked away, her first real reaction to anything all day.

"This trinket does not fit in with the rest of your outfit." the maid admonished, wagging her finger, "It needs to come off!"

"But..." Katara started to protest, but Zuko moved forward, removing it for her without saying a word and slipping it in his robes with a definitive gesture. He then backed away, letting the maids continue their final touches.

When they were done, Katara looked just like a noblewoman, from her hair to her toes, everything carefully set and arranged, and she felt the weight of the gold in her hair. The only thing that set her apart was the white face, which marked her rank as a pleasure-companion.

She looked into her reflection, seeing someone that was not Katara. The person that stared back at her was by no means a Water Tribe girl… but a concubine to the Fire Prince. She hated her appearance, it really was too much for her. Her hand went up to her neck, fingering the ruby and gold collar that was there, missing the feel of the cool stone that her mother had given her. She barely noticed as they tucked several things into her obi, such as a silk kerchief as well as a fan.

The maids checked over her one last time, making sure everything was in order before they bowed and left. She kept her eyes averted as Zuko came around to look at her. He looked stately in his Imperial robes. Along the hem were sewn flames in gold thread, and rising from the flame around the robe was a dragon with its head on his back. He did look very handsome and regal, but she was not looking forward to the banquet.

She would be surrounded by the Fire Nation nobility... and Ozai, and she did not look forward to being in the presence of the Fire Lord again. She just prayed that he would consider her beneath his notice enough to not speak to her. When Zuko placed his hand on her shoulder, she pulled away.

"What's wrong?" he asked and she shrugged, not bothering to say anything.

"Is it about the necklace?" he asked, and she still did not speak. _No it's not, it's about everything, you bastard, can't you see it? _she thought furiously. She hated it here, hated being treated like a concubine, hated not knowing if her brother was safe or not, and most of all she hated knowing her friend was in trouble, captive of the Fire Nation and as far as she could see, there was nothing she could do. What could a woman like her do against well-trained Fire Nation soldiers, and a ruthless ruler who could end her life at his whim? Her chance of helping her best friend before on the ship had been very slim. Here, it was nonexistent.

It was over, and she was trapped, like a fish in a net. And she doubted Zuko even cared.

"Let's just get this over with." she muttered. She longed to wash her face of the white paint and get out of these robes that were not right for her. He looked at her quietly, unsure of what to say.

Katara silently walked out of the room, waiting for him at the door to his suite. She regarded him calmly and Zuko did not like it. He would even prefer her to look at him with anger rather than indifference. At least when she was angry she had a sparkle in her eye, but here…it was as if she didn't even care about what was happening, as if she had become numb. He bit back a frown, resolving to get to the bottom of things after the banquet.

He opened the door and they walked through the halls in silence as a couple of guards fell in step behind them, until they came to the spacious banquet room. Fire Nation banners hung from the walls along with ornate torches, and a massive lacquered table stretched out on the pavilion reserved for the Fire Lord and his chosen companions, and similar tables were set up through then room. The ceiling rose high above her head, held up by grand red and gold marble pillars. There was red, so much red she was surprised no one got bored of it.

The room opened out into the courtyard as well and she saw many nobles and some noblewomen along with a few white-faced women. Most if not all of them turned around to look at the Prince of the Fire Nation as he emerged. The nobles showed their respect, bowing to their future Fire Lord, but she could feel their disdain for the Water Tribe girl, especially from the women, and she fought the urge to bolt back through the doorway.

Zuko knelt in front of his father, bedecked in flowing red and black silk and surrounded by very high ranking nobles and a few guards, and bowed deeply to him.

"My lord."

"Welcome, Zuko." his father replied. Katara noticed that he was now sitting at a chair grander then the others, his eyes focusing on them. She felt the urge to shiver upon seeing twin yellow eyes; reptilian, cold and shrewd, gazing through her.

"Come, sit and eat."

Zuko bowed again and nodded, taking his seat near his father in a chair that had obviously been reserved for him, at Ozai's right hand, and she sat at his other side after he motioned for her to do so, surprised that she was even allowed to sit all the way up here. The feast was grand and she had never seen so many dishes in one place, or such exotic-looking food, but at the same time she felt her skin crawl. She was suddenly grateful for the white paint, so no one could see how pale she was or quite read her expression.

"I see you have decided to make her your concubine." Ozai stated calmly, eying Katara's face paint and garb.

"I have." Zuko stated, with a slight bow of his head, "She does a good job of pleasing me so I see no reason to not use her to my full advantage."

The Fire Lord said nothing for a few moments, stroking his chin thoughtfully before nodding.

"She cleans up well for a poor Water Tribe girl." Ozai said, but his tone wasn't complimentary. It carried the biting undertone of condescension, but she bowed to him nonetheless. It was foolish to do otherwise.

"You must tell me how you came into possession of her again, Zuko. Refresh my memory…" the Fire Lord said silkily, and the nobles nearby chuckled, eager to hear about the demise of the girl.

"She was the Avatar's traveling companion, and when I took the child I took her as well, since she was with him. Rather than just let her rot in the brig, I decided to use her for my pleasure as well as insurance against the Avatar." Zuko stated simply.

"Aha, using the Avatar's goodness against him. Rather clever. And when do you plan to discard her?"

"When she no longer suits me." Zuko replied. Katara felt her stomach lurch as some of the nobles snickered softly. Ozai spoke of discarding so lightly, and Zuko was now doing the same…

In the Fire Nation, concubines were held in high regard, but only for as long as their masters were interested in them. Once a master lost interest or was angered and discarded a concubine, that woman was on her own, and this was considered the norm. Women were second class citizens, especially in comparison to Ozai and the high-ranking nobles. There was no such thing as slavery in Sozun, but concubinage came pretty close, as some fathers would give their daughters away to a master who took interest, in exchange for money. Course, when said master was displeased or bored enough to kick them out of the house, said daughter had the option of going back home – though her marriage prospects were now next to nothing – although some of them simply ran away and were never seen again or took up prostitution to support themselves. Whatever their fate, a discarded concubine usually didn't have a happy one.

Ozai was an exacting master, and was notoriously hard to please, as his appetite was ravenous and violent. Katara said nothing, staring down at her hands. The Fire Lord seemed very pleased with Zuko's response.

"Is your room to your liking?"

"Very much, my lord."

"And your crew? They served you well?" he asked. His son nodded.

"They served me well in my voyage."

"It sounds as if they have earned the right to be reassigned to active duty." Ozai nodded.

"I would say so, my lord." he said respectfully, "Aside from a couple that I had to get rid of, the rest were superb and are assets to the Fire Nation. They would honor our Nation."

"Which ones?" Ozai asked, and his son rattled off a couple of names.

"They are no longer part of the crew, the rest I came home with. And with your permission, I would like to recommend a few of them for higher up positions later, where they may be of better service to the Fire Nation."

"We'll see."

Zuko bowed his head before taking a sip from his goblet of wine. Inwardly, he felt a annoyed at the near outright dismissal. His father turned his attention to Katara who at that moment had her head bowed down slightly. No one had touched the food yet, not until Ozai had started eating. Though no one stared at him outright, people glanced at him out of the corners of their eyes, waiting for him to take a bite. Nobody would dare say anything about him eating.

"Rather beautiful for a child, tell me, how do you feel knowing that the Fire Nation is going to win the war?"

"I..." she felt her heart racing. What to say_? I think you're an asshole and I hate you and the Fire Nation?_

"A shame really, about your tribe, such a pity they like the Earth Kingdom rose up in defiance of the new order of things."

Katara lowered her head in resignation, and this obviously pleased Ozai. He came close to foaming at the mouth now, boasting about how powerful the Fire Nation would be as they conquered the entire world, crushing all resistance. She felt her stomach twist even more. What the hell was she doing, sitting here, listening to all of this? Yet if she stood up to strike him to silence him or to raise a word in protest, there was no doubt that the consequences would be dire.

"If I may propose a toast?" Zuko asked his father respectfully when Ozai fell silent. His father nodded and the Prince stood up, raising his goblet.

"I can not tell all of you how glad I am to be part of the magnificence and glory of the Fire Nation. Sozin's Comet draws nearer and nearer, and we, the children and worthy heirs of Agni, will reap the rewards that we have worked so hard for a century. The Avatar is secure in our hands, and nothing will stand in my our way. All hail the Fire Nation!"

The applause that greeted him was deafening and Katara just sat there, staring at the table blankly as she clapped her hands politely.

"Yes, a most encouraging toast." Ozai stated looking at his son with a smile that was almost warm, "speaking of which, bring out the Avatar…"

Katara gasped softly and looked up as the nobles turned to one of the entrances to the room, where a small legion of guards brought out the child, heavily shacked, each chain held by a guard. Aang looked absolutely miserable as he trudged forward under the weight of the chains.

She felt Zuko's hand on her arm, preventing her from getting up, which she had been doing at that moment albeit unconsciously, and bit back a cry as he yanked down roughly, keeping her seated.

The ruler of the Fire Nation slowly rose from his seat and approached the boy, and everyone was watching with bated breath.

"Pitiful fool." Ozai hissed softly as he towered over the child.

Aang looked up at him with eyes mixed with defiance and fatigue. Right now to him, Ozai was a shadow, a dark, malicious shadow, and the flames sewn into the hem of his black robe seemed almost like real flames lapping at the Fire Lord. He looked up into dark gold eyes, meeting a gaze that was filled with evil and an insatiable appetite for power and cruelty.

"You've failed, boy… despite the help from your friends and from Avatar Roku…" a grin, cruel and almost skull-like, formed before he whipped his arm at the Avatar, causing a fireball to strike his prisoner, a small one that burned the boy's shoulder but would not leave severe damage. The Avatar cried out, struggling weakly against his chains.

Zuko remained where he was, holding onto Katara, although that was not necessary anymore. She was almost literally frozen into place. Katara squeezed her eyes shut upon hearing Aang's scream of pain.

It was not as severe as the one that had burned Zuko, or the heat that had burned Katara's breast, but nonetheless the Avatar would be hurting and unlike the Prince or his concubine, he would not receive the care of a loved one, or even comfort and understanding. He would not have a soothing voice to reassure him, or hands that would give him a gentle touch.

Zuko meanwhile, shivered upon seeing that sadistic and homicidal gleam of triumph in his father's eyes..

"Mercy..." Aang whispered hoarsely, the shoulder of his gray shirt now bearing a small hole ringed with black.

"Mercy is for the weak…" the Fire Lord replied, burning Aang again on his other shoulder and his stomach, all of them superficial, but painful nonetheless. Katara noticed cold smiles on many of the noble's faces. It was disgusting that anyone would take pleasure in something like this, especially since Aang was an innocent child.

Katara's hands had balled up into fists, which she hid in her long sleeves. She refused to look at Zuko. The Prince meanwhile was shocked by what his father had said. There was no reason to abuse the Avatar. He was a prisoner, but he had not done anything wrong besides being the Avatar and now...

But he said nothing. On his ship, Aang had at least been treated like a human being, fed, kept warm, washed, given games to play with. He did not believe in torturing or abusing prisoners unless they had done something truly heinous. And the Avatar certainly hadn't done anything close to it. But he could not object to what his father was doing right now. He didn't dare. And he felt horrible for it.

Ozai moved aside to give the nobles a complete view of the child, showing them that he really was what they thought he was, his blue arrows visible against the pale flesh.

Aang tried to show one last act of defiance, and he blew air out of his mouth, trying to knock Ozai much like he had done to Zhao, but the air barely ruffled the Fire Lord's robes and he simply laughed coldly.

"Foolish child, all you can do now is perform petty parlor tricks. Know now that you belong to the Fire Nation and I can do as I please with you!"

Aang raised his head weakly, seeing the long tables and all of the nobles. A glimmer of blue caught his eye and he tried to focus on this, seeing that blue was a relief after all this red and gold. He blinked slowly when he saw that the blue was set in the middle of a white face.

_Katara? Katara please help me_… He strained against his bonds weakly. Their eyes met for a moment and he saw Katara start to get up again only Zuko had his hand around her arm. _What have they done to you, Katara?_ She looked so…ghostly with the white on her face.

_Aang…dear, sweet Aang_… she longed to take him into her arms and hold him and comfort him like a mother would for its child. He looked so…hurt and forlorn. She knew what he needed most at that moment was a gentle word and touch…and he would receive neither. Knowing that made her want to cry, but she didn't dare…

The child was taken away and the double doors closed quietly before Ozai returned to his seat and raised his goblet. The drinking commenced, and the table was filled with very quiet chatter as they kept their eyes on Ozai and Zuko, waiting for any more announcements.

"It is a good day to have you back here Zuko…with a feast in honor of our victory."

"I am just glad that I could capture the Avatar and ensure the Fire Nation's victory."

"Ohh you've ensured part of it, a rather large part of it, the rest will fall to Zhao and the others who will deal with what remains of the Earth Kingdom. And the capture of the Death Dragon is no small accomplishment, either." He smiled approvingly.

"What do you intend to do with him, my lord?" Zuko asked.

"Such filth cannot be allowed to live too long. He is a traitor to the Fire Nation, and will be treated as such. A public execution will serve as a fitting example."

Zuko nodded and raised his goblet to his sire, biting back a scathing comment about Zhao. After all, he had won. he had gotten the Avatar, not Zhao. That was what counted. Ozai gave him a small smile before he started to eat, which was the cue for everyone else.

Katara did not eat much though she was impressed with all the food, for she had never seen so many different dishes in one place, not even in Omashu or Kyoshi. And the food was also exotically prepared on top of that…sauces, spices, glazes, elaborate arrangements…

A lot of animals were killed, she noticed sadly. She was not a complete vegetarian like Aang, but she did not eat much meat, only when she needed to. She believed in eating meat only for subsistence, and what lay before her was carnage. There were lots of fowl, as well as pork, beef, and fish. There was even one bird that still had its feathers – she didn't know the name of it but to the Fire Nation it was known as pheasant – and it was gruesome to see it cut open and the cooked meat taken from it. She could not help but shudder a little.

All she ate was a bit of soup, wine, and a dumpling, and she picked at this, feeling her appetite quickly leave her. Zuko of course enjoyed much of the food, but nowhere near as much as the Fire Lord.

Ozai was on top of the world. He had the Avatar, and his son had survived the Death Dragon. Zuko just might be a worthy heir after all.

Katara could feel the stares of some of the nobles bore into her as she ate. Course, they didn't just stare or gape openly, but she knew she was being studied. They were watching her in a way that reminded her of vultures, and she was careful to mind herself, wanting to give them nothing to talk about. She ate carefully, kept her head bowed, and remained silent through the whole dinner. She hated it here, absolutely, positively hated it here and just wanted the dinner to be over with. But it would not be, not for a long while yet.

She ate slowly to keep herself occupied and only raised her eyes once in a while, discreetly surveying the table and its guests as Zuko ate more heartily. Not once did she turn her head in Zuko or Ozai's direction.

She noticed Iroh with a small surprise. Ozai had not even acknowledged him at the homecoming and here he was. The retired general was dressed in the robes of a noble although not as extravagantly as some of the other men, and his younger brother had not once acknowledged him through dinner. Although if Iroh was at the table that meant that he was welcome here...at least somewhat, otherwise Ozai would have him removed, right?

Iroh looked up and she blinked when he looked at her. Would he even recognize her in this get up and white paint? Of course he did, who else would have blue eyes? They locked gaze for a moment and the Dragon of the West felt a bit of sadness upon looking at Katara. She did look beautiful in the get-up but something wasn't right. She looked better with her hair down and loose, and wearing comfortable clothes and walking about with a breeze blowing through her hair like she did on the ship. Then and there she looked natural, just the way she should be, not adorned in glitzy gold jewelry and the make-up of a concubine.

The retired general had the sudden urge to pull Katara into a comforting hug, but at this point he could not even offer her a reassuring smile, not with his brother watching. He simply bowed his head to her slightly in acknowledgment, and Katara returned the small gesture.

"You have no need to bow to him, he is but a retired general." Ozai commented with what was a disdainful sneer. She hadn't been aware that he had been watching her!

"Oh. I was not aware of that, my lord." she said meekly, keeping her eyes lowered. Ozai smiled cruelly at his brother and Iroh stared at him for a moment before looking down at his tea. Katara noticed sadness in his eyes.

"Of course, I would not expect a lowly Water Tribe girl to know of the proper etiquette between ranks." the Fire Lord said with a condescending smirk. She found herself wanting to hit him.

"I merely await instruction, Your Majesty."

"Willingness to learn. Hmm, there may be hope for you yet. You have an opportunity before you to set an example for the Earth and Water people. Show them what a Fire Nation education can do for a barbarian."

"It would be my honor, my lord." she replied. Ozai nodded approvingly.

Zuko meanwhile held his tongue, knowing better than to try to help his uncle out or get between his father and Katara. Apparently his uncle felt it would be wise to allow the Fire Lord the upper hand as custom dictated. At least Ozai had not decided to banish Iroh or have him executed, both were well within his rights to decide as Fire Lord.

But still, the way he looked down at his older brother was most disconcerting. Iroh was apparently to just live out the rest of his days as a noble, with no real input into Ozai's decisions. It was almost as if...the retired general was no longer brother to the Fire Lord. That did not settle well with Zuko.

The meal was completed after two more courses – drinks, then lighter dishes which only served to drag the banquet on longer. Katara hoped that would be it. Conversation surrounded her and she had not enjoyed any of it. Infact she and Iroh had been pretty much silent through the whole banquet. She prayed to whatever gods were out there that there was not something to draw this out even more like a play or a dance or something. She would scream.

Ozai dabbed his lips with a napkin before looking down at his son.

"I'm sure a warrior of your skills would be most useful on the battlefield, perhaps you would not mind assisting one of the others in dealing with Ba Sing Se." Ozai said with a small smirk.

"I would be honored, my lord." Zuko said with a bow. Inwardly, his pulse was racing. Ozai was planning a campaign against that city...Iroh had been unsuccessful, but Ozai would not be deterred. Sozin's comet drew closer, and the campaign was still in its planning stages, so it would not come around for a while, but when it did, Ozai expected it to be a spectacular victory. The attack itself was not set to start until shortly before the comet came, to ensure victory, and then they would be unstoppable.

"Once you and General Carsk are done with the city, I want all of the inhabitants dealt with." he said. Zuko swallowed and nodded. He did not dare disagree with this obvious massacre and cruel subjugation that his father wanted, but he did not look forward to it.

"The campaign will be launched a month before the Comet .I know you will be successful, Zuko." he said, his eyes flickering in Iroh's direction for a moment, "Unlike certain others…" he added snidely, and quite a few of the nobles chuckled quietly. The older Prince said nothing and Katara found herself wanting to give him a comforting word. He kept a blank face but she knew it had to hurt him to be jabbed into like this especially in front of everyone.

She didn't like seeing him so... humiliated by his own brother. She had heard Iroh's story of his own campaign against the great Earth Nation city and how the city had defended itself well, and how the campaign had resulted in the loss of his beloved son. To her, Iroh had behaved honorably.

Zuko turned to his father and bowed his head slightly.

"I wish to thank you for holding this feast for me. I am honored." he said. Ozai gave out a small, tight smile before he chuckled just a bit.

"You are more then welcome, my son." he said, casually waving for the servants to come in and clean up.

"I assume the feast is over, unless you have something else planned. If you do not, I will take my leave unless you wish to speak with me."

"Not at all, feel free." Ozai waved his hand at his son and Zuko bowed to his father, as did Katara, before they left.

o0o0o0o

Katara just felt relieved to be back in the suite, and she headed to the washroom immediately and slammed the door shut, scrubbing her face curiously. She scrubbed it over several times before she was satisfied that the paint was gone and then attacked her hair like a madwoman before ripping off the gold collar.

Right after she had closed the door, Zuko had opened it quietly. He stood in the shadows, observing the whole thing but he did not step in or say anything. It was exhilarating to him in an odd sense to see her tear off the concubine's attire and cleanse herself of it.

She gave out frustrated grunts, tearing out the gold combs and pins, letting the fall to the marble floor with soft clinks. That and her scrubbed raw face gave her the disheveled appearance of a madwoman who had somehow stumbled across a noblewoman's robes and had decided to try it on out of fancy.

After that, she furiously undid the thin silk rope wrapped around her obi and took both off, disregarding the accessories that had fallen out when the obi was loosened before yanking her robe off as well as the cream under-robe, leaving her in her dark red silk shift and slippers. Spirits above, she hated it here!

Katara sat on the edge of the tub, leaning her head against the wall for a few moments, feeling her heart pound. Zuko ducked out of the bathroom, deciding to give her a bit of privacy. She sighed softly then cleaned up the mess, picking up the combs and pins and folding the robes, leaving the washroom and setting them on the table.

He was sitting on the bed, staring at her quietly as she set the robes and jewelry aside. She did look much better au naturel, with her hair down and free of all that glitzy junk.

She did not look up at him as she slid under the blankets silently and pulled the comforter up to her chin. She felt gentle hands on her neck before something cool slid around it, and brought her hand up to feel the silver chain and her mother's pendant. The stone didn't do much to reassure her though.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he spooned up to her, wrapping his arm around her middle.

"Yes." she said simply, just wanting to be left alone.

"Was it something I did?" he asked, squeezing gently.

"Does it matter?" she replied, stiffening slightly under that touch.

"It does to me."

"Why? You can just discard me anytime you like." she said, curling up more tightly. He let out a barely audible sigh.

"And I hope you discard me soon, because I don't like it here." the Waterbender added in a acid tone. She hoped that if disposal meant death, she would be granted a quick one, and she could not stand the thought of another day here much less a week, a month, a _year_. That simply would…be too much.

"I'd never discard you." he whispered, realizing the effects of his words at the banquet.

"Your father expects you to."

"I know, but I won't."

"Then what are you going to do? Ozai will only tolerate me for a short while and then after that then what? He obviously expects you to take a Fire Nation concubine…" she said bitterly as she wiggled away.

"I'll think of something…." the Prince replied and she sighed softly and stared at the wall. He pulled her into his arms, kissing her and she whimpered softly, trying not to cry.

"It's all right, I am here." Zuko whispered. She sniffled softly, letting him kiss her along her face although she didn't kiss him back. She was still stunned about what Ozai did to Aang.

"I won't let anything happen to you." he whispered although she remained skeptical.

"Do you really mean it? What about that campaign he wants you to go on?" she asked, not wishing to be left behind under Ozai's control.

"I'll take you with me." came the firm reply and she sighed a little in relief before she nodded. At least she would get out of the damned Palace.

She said nothing when he kissed her forehead then lay his head on her chest. She remained silent but stroked his scalp, unsure of what else to do. She could yell at him for what was done to Aang, but that wouldn't solve anything and right now the last thing she needed was to have him upset with her.

"I'm glad you don't think of me as something to discard." she said softly although she still had her doubts. After all, the words had come out of his mouth clearly and there was no mistaking what he had said.

"Why would I?" he asked quietly and she shrugged.

"It…just sounded like it when your father spoke to you."

"I didn't have a choice other than to humor him. I... don't want you to be taken from me." he whispered. She did not reply.

"Someday I won't have to say things like that." he added and she simply nodded before he drew up the blankets, covering them in a warm cocoon.

Zuko placed a kiss on her lips before laying his head on her chest again, falling asleep shortly. But sleep was not as kind to Katara, and she had to stare off out through the window for quite a while, thinking about Ozai's cruel smirk and Aang's cries of pain.


	14. Shame

Hot Water

Chapter XIII – Shame

Many apologies for the lateness of this update. As I was giving it a final once-over before submission, I was struck by a kick-ass idea for two scenes, and they would be perfect for this chapter. So as always, ENJOY and don't forget to leave feedback!

o0o0o0o

Katara hated to admit it, but watching the sunset from their spot on the volcano wall was exhilarating. From this spectacular vantage point, she could see the ocean and most of the city, and being in the fresh air was wonderful. She was alone with Zuko. A few servants and guards had accompanied them, but they – and the palanquin they had carried the Crown Prince and the Azure Concubine in – were tucked out of sight so that Zuko could have his picnic with Katara in privacy. They sat atop a plain red quilt, a small spread of delicacies between them as they ate. Or more aptly, as Zuko ate. Katara was picking at what little food was on her plate.

She looked lovely in a silk robe that was embroidered with golden lilies along the sleeves and hem. Her hair was pulled back and pinned up in a thick bun that was held in place with pins of gold studded with pearls and rubies. Since this was a private occasion between them, he had told the servants to not paint her face, so despite her fancy garb, the cleanness of her face reminded him of just who she was. Not a painted concubine, but his Waterbender. To the court, she was merely known as the concubine of the Fire Prince. A toy of Ozai's son, a plaything to amuse him until he decided on a proper Fire Nation girl to be his consort and bear grandchildren for Fire Lord Ozai. He knew the noblemen were curious about her, finding her exoticism unique and even desirable – for their own amusements.

Many of the men who had served him on the ship were now part of his personal guard, and also were the ones hand-picked by him to watch over Katara when he wasn't with her. They became his eyes and ears, and through them, he had learned that a few noblemen were willing to 'give her a home' once the Fire Prince bored of her. Ugh. The thought of anyone touching Katara's delectable mocha skin sent a shudder of revulsion through him.

The lunch was spicy and delicious, put together by the finest chefs the Fire Nation had to offer. It had taken a bit of time getting used to all the gourmet fare when he had been living on a simpler menu during his exile. He popped a crab-cake into his mouth, munching on it contentedly as he enjoyed this quiet respite with his companion. The noonday sun was rather warm on this late spring day, the summer solstice only a few days away. Both of them were garbed in summer-weight silk, the thin material comfortable against their heated flesh. An umbrella had been staked into the ground, offering them respite from the relentless rays of sunshine.

"Please eat more. You barely touched your breakfast, and now this." Zuko urged, gesturing to her plate. She lowered her chopsticks, picking up a small piece of glazed orange pig-chicken, placing it in her mouth and chewing a few times before swallowing and setting down her chopsticks. He sighed softly.

"I thought it would be fun for us to come up here for the peace and quiet. It's just the two of us. I want you to enjoy this."

"It is beautiful up here. I'm just not hungry." She often thought of her brother and Aang. What was Sokka up to now? And what was Aang's state after being imprisoned over a month? How could she enjoy the luxury and security that Zuko's care afforded her? He had been true in his word to keep her safe and comfortable. Given the circumstances, she hated to admit that he was actually doing an admirable job protecting her. She followed the rules Zuko set for her. He was never cruel, and in their private moments, within the walls of his bedchamber, he could be very kind and gentle with the right words and touches from her. He could distract her well with his passion, but afterward, she always felt horribly guilty. How could she live with herself like this? What real future did she have here? She would never be more than a concubine, sheltered by the man who had kidnapped her, looked down at by the Fire Lord his Court? No!

She had actually contemplated taking her life, but what would that accomplish?

"Come on. Take a few more bites. Try an almond dumpling. They're rather delicious." To his relief, she did not argue, but she ate the food in a rather mechanical manner, seeming to not notice the flavor of the Imperial kitchen's efforts.

Despite his own efforts, she remained unhappy here. He couldn't blame her, and this made him feel all the more guilty about what he had done to her life. All the money in the world couldn't buy happiness, however much money that could be. If she was a Fire Nation woman, she wouldn't have to worry about Ozai so much, and she could interact more freely with the nobles. But since she was one of the 'Water Tribe barbarians', to the Court, she was a novelty, something to be gawked at before being discarded when her uniqueness wore off.

His father had turned down his request to purchase one of the seaside houses, stating that there was more than enough room within this palace for Zuko and a harem of his own, much less one concubine. Naturally, this disappointed Zuko greatly, but he was careful to always obey the Fire Lord. He constantly had the feeling that he was walking on eggshells. He wanted to protest against all the insidious ideas discussed in the War Room. Battles. Massacres. Slavery. Only by the grace of Agni did his lips remain sealed.

He found solace with Katara. He lay there at night, cuddled up to her, finding contentment as he did so. Despite his busy schedule of training, lessons, Court sessions, royal and social events, and Council or War Room meetings, he spent most of his free time with the Waterbender. He steadfastly avoided invitations from the young noble ladies. Amidst the flurry of Imperial life and politics, she was the one calming influence in the storm. With her, he could set aside all his worries and concerns, and simply relax. Yes, he enjoyed making love with her, but there was also something to be said about a quiet stroll through the gardens, or a picnic up here.

After eating several more items, Zuko covered the dishes and set them off to one side, moving closer to the blue-eyed girl. She was staring off, her gaze fixed on the ocean. He slid his arm around her shoulders.

"Tara..." he whispered. She did not respond, and he sighed softly.

"Don't be so sad. I brought us up here to be happy." he said, squeezing her.

"I know. It's a nice gesture, but I can't stop thinking about Sokka and Aang."

It was his turn to be silent. He stared off for several moments.

"I am sorry. I wish the circumstances were different. You know that. But I did my best. I let your brother free. I keep you safe and comfortable. I was never cruel to the Avatar. Can't you just... accept these circumstances?"

"How can I, knowing what the end of summer will bring?" she asked. The subjugation of Omashu and Ba Sing Se would cause what was left of the mighty Earth Kingdoms to fall.

"It will end the War." Zuko retorted.

"At a great cost."

"I know. But what can I do? This is better than being in exile. I will become Fire Lord one day. By then, the fighting will be over. I... will do what I can." He sighed softly, running his fingers through his short, thick hair. "I wish there was a bloodless way to do this. I truly do."

Katara did not reply, knowing he was right. When she had first met him, she would have not believed him. But getting to know him, it was apparent to her – in private moments, of course – that he was not like his sire. She did a lot of reading alone in his apartments every day, learning about the Fire Nation and its history. She read biographies of former Fire Lords as well as general history and the folklore and legends. She had to admit that the Nation did have some fascinating aspects of its illustrious history. Her long hours alone were spent reading. She had no mind for embroidery or other 'delicate' pursuits, and was happy to be left alone with a stack of books given by Zuko or Iroh.

She had spent a bit of time with two aged women named Li and Lo, twins and daughters of Fire Lord Sozin. They had never known him, since they had been very young when he died, and they were the younger sisters of Fire Lord Azulon. In the Royal Family, they were esteemed matriarchs, and she didn't like the way they looked at her with their shriveled-up prune faces. The few times they had deigned to call upon her and Zuko, they had constantly commented on her actions, giving her lessons in how to act like a proper lady. There was just no pleasing these women, but Zuko assured her that she was doing just fine. She was quiet and polite at social events, and did nothing to call attention to herself. She didn't know each and every minute social grace that was taught to noblewomen, but she was a far cry from the 'barbarian' that the Court perceived her as.

She would have to take that role tonight at an event that had been planned since he had come back to Sozun. Sure, Katara could feign illness, but that would raise questions, and people would be more inclined to spy on her. So she accompanied him to all official events that called for the presence of one's wives, concubines, and other family members to show off the Imperial presence. She knew of it, of course. In due time, they would have to leave this secluded spot and get ready for tonight's event.

"It's a beautiful spot here. The sun is shining and the air is clear and warm." He gestured ti the blanket suggestively. She raised her eyebrow. He smirked at her.

"I am in the mood for some enjoyment from my Azure Concubine. And the servants and guards would tell my father if I brought you up here without coupling with you. My father has no patience for such nonsense, and might suspect of my feelings for you. Servants like to talk, and my father might hear that I was planning some sort of conspiracy, or that I was under your thrall. The Fire Lord most not even entertain the thought that you are a threat to him."

Katara gazed up into his eyes, riveted to the spot by his intense gaze. She nodded slowly before lowering her head in submission.

"I am yours, my lord." She lay back, feeling Zuko's fierce kisses on her lips as his passion engulfed her within its flames. She knew she would feel guilty afterward, but it was good to just forget, and lose herself in the pleasure for a while.

o0o0o0o

The front of the volcano gates opened onto an immense courtyard fringed by the Main Road and the guard-houses along with a couple of large mansions and upscale businesses. The large swath of land around the gates were left paved so that residents or buildings would not be crowded around the gates, and was enclosed with a perimeter of a low wall and trees. On such occasions as the rise of a new Fire Lord, or a marriage between a Fire Lord or Prince and the woman chosen to be his consort – a true wife in status rather than concubine – events were often held out here, and people would swarm the city to watch.

The public execution of the Death Dragon was definitely something to watch. This man was a traitor of the Fire Nation, killing his own parents – a couple of minor nobles and distant relatives of Zuko's family – before turning his back on the Nation and hiring himself to the highest bidder even against his own Fire Nation brothers. He was reviled on a much more personal if less wide-spread level than the Avatar.

The Imperial Pavilion was already set, the Fire Lord seated in the ornate portable Dragon Throne in a level set higher than anyone else. Several imperial Guards stood around him. Below him was his son, seated in a smaller throne. The concubines had a pavilion of their own just slightly behind Zuko. Katara sat with the other concubines, staring at Zuko's back as he sat there stiff-shouldered. At the other side of the Fire Lord were several high0ranking advisers and nobles. Servants attended to the royal entourage, making sure they had tea, finger-foods, fans, and ice-cold water to drink. Having endured several social events already, Katara was careful to not drink too much tea or water, since these events could run very long sometimes.

The Water Tribe girl was thankful for the silk canopy that hung above the pavilions, keeping her in the shade. However, she still felt warmth due to the fact that the afternoon sunlight's rays were hitting the mat in front of her, warming the front of her knees. The silk was summer-weight, but the red still absorbed the sunlight nicely, warming her knees to an level she found uncomfortable, especially given this warm day.

She wiggled slightly backwards, inching her pillow a few centimeters. The problem resolved, she sat attentively as the Death Dragon was brought out. Generally, to see one last sunset before you die was considered glorious. Warriors who had to commit seppuku were traditionally given until the sunset, and they would watch the sun go down one last time before committing the sacred rite of honor. However, for convicted criminals and traitors, such a honor was deemed too much for them. Some were executed in the middle of the night, their lives ended in the dark and cold. Others – namely the public executions – were done in the afternoon, so that Agni's anger would blaze down upon them for the crimes they had committed. Agni shone during the day, showing his power. He would judge these evildoers with their fiery wrath, and as their souls left their bodies, the fire of the Source of Fire would sear their very being.

People of all kinds had come to watch, all the way from nobles to soldiers to commoners. Naturally, the nobles had private boxes and pavilions for themselves, but the attendance was rather enthusiastic. Fire Nation pride had been stirred to an all-time high with the capture of the Avatar and the Death Dragon, and to witness the execution would be something to tell their children and grandchildren about! Goodness! It was an exciting moment of Fire Nation history to witness.

The makeshift execution platform was set up in the middle of this public courtyard, and the Death Dragon was led across the clearing and up the stairs to the platform. He strained against his bonds, his mouth muffled by a gag. It was clear that he would not go to his death quietly. He was clearly identifiable by the tattoo on his face though his body had withered a bit in prison, becoming more wiry than it had before due to Shi-Ryuu's confinement.

The defiant glint in his eyes was evidence enough of his spirit as he was brought to his knees. His body – naked but for a pair of knee-length pants – shone slickly in the sunlight. Her eyebrow furrowed as she wondered why the entire upper half of his body seemed to have been massaged with oil. His gag was whipped off his face.

Katara stared ahead, her face a calm mask beneath the white paint, listening to the long list of crimes that had been committed by the Death Dragon being read by one of the advisers. Wow, he certainly had done a lot. No wonder he had such a reputation. Unconsciously, her hand trailed up to her stomach, ghosting over the scar below her ribcage. She quickly caught herself and moved her hand to pluck the fan from her obi, fanning herself against the heat.

She felt light-headed, and concentrated on sitting upright, barely aware of the shouted order to fire. Shi-Ryuu seemed to explode in an intense gold burst of flame, the oil on his body reacting instantly with the fire released from the four guards who had shot fire at him. The purpose wasn't to cremate his body, but to have him burn by fire, his native element. His gag had been removed so he could scream and gasp for breath as the fire seared his nostrils and throat. The heat would become too much for him. His death would be agonizing as he felt the pain of Agni's wrath, his flesh consumed by the fire that had once sustained it. His lungs would be able to draw in a few searing breaths of much-needed air as he suffocated, but it would not be enough. The damage had been done. Even if Shi-Ryuu was somehow able to miraculously live through this, he would not want to. He would be scarred beyond recognition, his ears and eyes melted into his head, lips melted from his gums, possible starvation brought on by inability to eat due to extensive facial and neck damage, well, the list went on. At this point, death would be a mercy. But the few agonizing minutes that were left would feel like an eternity to the condemned man.

o0o0o0o

The Fire Lord eyed his son's concubine with a critical eye at the supper that was held in celebration of the Death Dragon's execution. Ostensibly, this dinner was in honor of his son's accomplishment for surviving the Death Dragon's attack and bringing him into custody. Zuko _did_ have his good points, after all. He had been rather filial and obedient. He was silent in the War Room, except to interject with a rare agreement or suggestion. Right now, the Prince was eating his food slowly and methodically, not paying attention to the honeyed red jade pig-chicken that he was absentmindedly plucking from his plate.

Katara had sat with the other concubines during the execution, but here she sat at the Prince's side. He had been observing her at the various events and functions over the last month, including a few private suppers where it was just himself, his son, and the Waterbender. She was well-mannered and silent. It appeared that Zuko had actually tamed her. Sure, she was a bit rough around the edges, but her silence served a nice contrast to the prattling of the noblewomen or concubines. The servants who observed Zuko and Katara said that they did not talk much. So apparently the Azure Concubine was a rare exception to the barbarian Water Tribes. Was it just because she was already intelligent, or was she merely learning through clever imitation. That was an interesting question. The Water Tribe numbers were insignificant. Could these people be used as an experiment to prove the effectiveness and worthiness of a Fire Nation education and culture? She sat there with her eyes lowered and back straight, her face painted with expertise. If not for the color of her skin and eyes, she would have passed perfectly as a noble-born Imperial concubine.

There was also an certain exotic appeal to her. She had lost a bit of weight, adding a certain delicateness to her appearance that he liked. There was ample evidence that Zuko took pleasure from her often, as evinced by the bedsheets in the morning and the noises that came from the Prince's bedchamber. There had to be something pleasing about her if Zuko was ignoring offers of other concubines. What kind of talents might she possess in the bedroom?

Katara lifted her eyes innocently, and met the Fire Lord's gaze. She held back a gasp and swallowed thickly, looking back down. She had an interesting shade of eyes. They certainly were lovely and unique enough after all the amber and brown eyes of his courtiers and concubines.

Hmm. The Fire Lord's lips twisted into a smirk. He had plenty enough choices here in the Fire Nation, the most beautiful of the beautiful or skilled concubines, whatever he was in the mood for. But it got boring after a while. And as they said, variety was the spice of life. The Fire Nation loved spices.

"I suppose I have to add civilizing a barbarian to your list of accomplishments, son. It seems that exile has indeed been an necessary trial for you. But here you sit, the token of success at your side. She is quiet, obedient, and modest. Here before the Fire Nation is proof of the correctness of its ways. All one has to do is bow to the correct way, and life is harmonious." There were murmurs of assent from various nobles. Katara was glad that her face had been painted, otherwise her blush would have been all too visible. She kept her head bowed modestly.

"Your modesty is to be commended, but when the Fire Lord praises you, you should show him how happy you are."

"Thank you, my lord. You are most gracious." Katara replied, her tone even and firm.

"I am honored, my lord." Zuko stated, stating his own gratitude to complement Katara's, so that Ozai would not think his son ungracious. He did not miss the glint in his father's eye, and the Prince's calm demeanor hid the frantic beating of his own heart.

o0o0o0o

The Palace was immense, with many rooms. Too many rooms, Zuko mused sometimes. He missed his ship, where there weren't so many rooms and he could easily move through the ship and be comfortable without being intimidated by the space, and he also knew the exact layout, and where each and every room was. Here, there were still many rooms he had not explored, and doubtless some he was not even aware of. As a child, he had not pondered it, but now, this reality disturbed him.

The Avatar had been placed in a room that had been designed many years ago in anticipation of the Avatar's eventual capture. The Prince had not seen the Avatar since the infernal banquet, which was almost a month ago. But Zuko knew where the boy was being held. The holding chamber was deep in the heart of the Palace, and even if the Avatar somehow managed to sneak out, he still had to get past all the guards that had been specially assigned to his 'care'.

He came to the first pair of doors that led to the special chamber and the soldiers moved to stand in front of it, but when they recognized him, they stepped aside.

"I will speak with the Avatar." he said regally and they opened the door for him after they eyed him for a few moments. Well, it was not as if he could take the boy with him, as the place was too well guarded, what were they thinking? That the Prince of the Fire Nation would try to break out the person he had brought here on the first place?

He was admitted through the next set of doors and the third one with no further hesitation, and the guards even looked almost happy that he had come. They did look bored, and he didn't blame them or envy them.

The young Firebender fell silent as he entered the Avatar's chamber, his eyes adjusting to the darkness as the doors closed behind him. There was a single solitary lamp far up on the wall, well out of the child's reach and he stood there for a few moments before saying anything.

"Avatar?" Zuko asked softly, seeing the child's form in the semidarkness. There was no response and Zuko's eyes slowly moved around the room. It was bigger than a standard cell although still not so big, about three by three meters, and he noticed chains attached to the wall. He was able to follow the chain links through the darkness to the boy's limbs, one at each of his wrists and ankles.

Zuko did not even know what to say when his eyes fixed on the child's face. The child looked like... _No._ He took a step back, feeling his stomach twist a little. He would never have treated the Avatar like this!

Aang's face was beaten and bloodied and there were bruises in several places on the child's bare arms and legs. it looked as if the sleeves of the tunic were torn off and the pants cut off at the knees, and there was a multitude of cuts and lacerations along with whip marks along aforesaid limbs. Who had done this? The soldiers? No. He remembered the malicious gleam in the Fire Lord's eyes at the banquet.

_Dear Agni..._

There was no reason to abuse the child like this. None whatsoever. Not in the darkest recesses of his mind would he ever be able to find an excuse or reason to be cruel to the Avatar.

Zuko felt shame. Deep, burning shame. It was he who had delivered the Avatar into this situation and he sighed softly, kneeling before the child to get a better look. Aang's eyes were half-lidded and Zuko recognized it...as drugs. Drugs to keep him subdued, prevented from using his powers. And Ozai expected Aang to live like this for the rest of his life. Right now, the haze of the drugs seemed more of a mercy to Aang then a hindrance.

Zuko moaned softly… feeling his shoulders slump. _I'm so sorry, Avatar..._

He felt sickened, especially at the prospect of whatever else the Fire Lord might do, with the drugs and potions his father could probably keep him like this for a good long time. He noticed a bowl of food near Aang's hand, barely touched. The food in it looked decent, clean and fresh with enough nutritional value to keep the child alive and his body functioning properly but not enough to keep him robust.

That was no way to live. At least when this boy had been his prisoner he had been fed, and treated decently, without fear of abuse by the guards.

His eyes met the other boy's and he flinched just a bit. Recognition sparked in the Avatar's face and he felt as if he wanted to just hide and die. He was responsible for this.

_I'm so sorry. Fuck it. I'm sorry._ _Damn it all to the nine hells. _ _I'm so sorry, so sorry, so sorry... _Zuko started to feel a little dizzy and he moaned softly, pressing his hands to his temples.

"I'm sorry." he whispered, rocking back and forth in front of the child. Aang looked up at him curiously, staring at the Fire Prince through the haze of his drug-induced stupor. He was sorry?

"Zuko…" he said in the most barely audible whisper.

"I should not have brought you here. I never hated you." he said softly, "If I was the Fire Lord...you would not receive such... dismal treatment... _Never_... I would treat you honorably..."

"I'm... okay." Aang said softly, trying to be brave. That just saddened Zuko even more. If it was himself in this situation he would probably have killed himself, or tried to.

He got up, backing away from the child. He needed to... to get out of here. The child was miserable, and it looked as if he had been wearing the same clothes he had come to the Capitol with. The same baggy gray clothes although the material was now stained with blood...

Blood that he wondered was on his hands as well. _Agni damnit._ _It was never supposed to be like this..._

He seriously contemplated putting poison in the Avatar's food. Then he could simply die and be reborn. Would the boy consider that a mercy? After all, he would be reborn. What was the next group…Fire…Air…Water. That's it. He would be reborn into the Water Tribes. But that group was practically extinct… well, he would let him decide…he owed the Avatar that much.

"Do you want to die?" Zuko leaned back towards the child, keeping his voice a just barely audible whisper. Aang shook his head a little.

"Are you sure? You'll be reborn and there are fast acting and untraceable poisons... It would look as if you died from simply not being taken care of and from the…uh, beatings. It would look as if it is the Fire Lord's fault. He did this to you, didn't he? You would be reborn into the Water Tribes and given another chance. Because I can't get you out of here. I offer you mercy."

"No. If I died, he would just exterminate the Water Tribes to get to my next incarnation…" Aang whispered. Zuko sighed softly before he stood up. The Avatar was right.

"I'm sorry. My father was wrong to do this… you don't deserve it. Not at all. I'm so sorry…" he repeated softly, looking down at the battered and shackled child.

"Not your fault." the Avatar said in a whisper that Zuko had to strain to hear. He backed away as if he had been slapped. He had been the one to bring Aang here…

"How...how can you even say that..."

"Because...you were not responsible for this…"

"I brought you here."

"You were following orders…"

"Shut up." Zuko muttered, quickly backing away even more as he started to open the door. He had to get out of here, to get fresh air, to deal with the churning in his stomach and the light-headedness that threatened to overwhelm him. He ran his fingers through his short hair – his queue shaven off the night after the banquet as a symbol of his return to the Fire Nation and the restoration of his honor. Honor? What was being done to the Avatar wasn't the least bit honorable, and he held back a violent shudder as he strode through the hallways, maintaining a calm demeanor despite his inner turmoil.

It was that last sentence the Avatar uttered that had really sickened him.


	15. The Definition of Honor

Hot Water

Chapter XIV – The Definition of Honor

o0o0o0o

Katara was bored out of her mind hiding in Zuko's suite, even though he had provided her with things to do. She knew why he was keeping her here, and for that she was most grateful. But his kindness did not change the reality of the situation. It was not like the ship, where she had been safe out on the dock under the eye of his own guards but here, things were different. She only went out of the royal apartments when she was accompanied by Zuko, and she did enjoy her private moments with him such as walking through the gardens or going into the city of Sozun to see a play or otherwise, but she didn't enjoy it as much as she would had she been truly free and not burdened with the status of royal plaything.

But what she hated the most were the banquets and other social functions, where she could feel the eyes of everyone on her, especially the Fire Lord's own burning gaze. She detested it all. She wasn't sure whether she preferred being out there under prying eyes or being shut up in here. During the day, the Fire Lord often kept his son so busy that it was rare that they saw each other during the long days, so she had lots of time on her hands… too much time. So to survive, she retreated within herself, shutting herself off from the passage of time as well as everyone else. She knew she could do nothing for her friends. Asking Zuko was useless. And she couldn't just break through and rescue Aang herself. She had asked once to be allowed to see him, but Zuko had informed her that the Fire Lord would not allow it.

Whenever Zuko was out in public, she would notice that he had a calm, neutral, even regal expression, but when he retreated to the privacy of his suite, this demeanor would slip off, and she would see someone who looked worn out. At times she could swear she saw disgust and heartsickness in his features and in his eyes it looked as if he had aged ten years. And she found herself wanting to comfort him.

She would always hold him and try to make him feel better. Was life to always be like this? It could be decades before Zuko became the Fire Lord, unless something happened to Ozai, and personally, she wished something would befall the cruel man.

And what of Zuko? If this went on that long for him, she could only imagine what effect it would have on him. What would he like be in a year? Ten? She looked down at his sleeping form, gently tucking the comforter under his chin. Every night he seemed drained and tired, and he would curl up in her arms like a child looking for affection. She would not say anything, and would just wrap her arms around him, feeling the warmth of his body, inhaling the scent of his skin, stroking his hair.

She stared up at the ceiling, used to this activity by now. She had not had a decent nights sleep in a month, and found herself dozing off during the day as well, and she had not been eating as much. Perhaps if she stopped eating altogether she could just fade away and not have to deal with this anymore.

Zuko moaned softly, rolling over onto his side facing her, and his eyelids fluttered open. She stared at him silently.

"Hold me?" the Prince asked softly, cuddling up to her. She nodded, wrapping an arm around him and letting him lay his head against her chest. She rubbed his back gently until he was asleep again, and stared off for a bit. It had been so much better on the ship for everyone, even Aang. Soon enough, the Prince was asleep, his breathing quiet and regular.

She sighed softly before carefully wiggling out of bed and putting on slippers. She was thinking about standing out on the balcony. She had sometimes stood outside on the balcony, looking down at the grounds. Too often, she had thought about throwing herself off the balcony to a hopefully quick end. But she had never had the courage to do so.

The Waterbender stared at the door that led to Zuko's rooms. She felt some of her old curiosity stir within her and felt herself moving towards the door. It was not locked, probably because Zuko knew how scared she was to go out and didn't have to worry about her trying to run amok or take on Ozai's guards to rescue her friend, especially with guards roaming the hallways.

And scared she was, Zuko's father and many of the others looked as if they wanted to rape her or torture her for their sick amusement. She opened the door just a crack, looking around for guards and seeing none. She however heard faint crying. For some reason, that made her shiver.

Carefully, she moved down the hall, and turned a corner, listening for the sound of footsteps as the crying got louder. The private floors of the Palace were easy to get lost in, with many wings and lavish apartments for various members of the Imperial household. Around one more corner, she saw another door, beautifully done like Zuko's and only slightly different. The crying was emanating from behind it. Her common sense told her that should back away from the door, but she felt her heart tug at the sound of crying. It sounded so sad.

She knocked at the door gently, prepared to duck in the shadows if necessary. There certainly were enough of these shadows around the pillars and in the corners. For a moment, there was no answer before a woman opened the door as if in fear, looking like she expected a monster to attack her as she looked around furtively. She had long black hair that was at that moment loose, which was something Katara had never seen on a Fire Nation woman as it seemed to be the custom for male and female alike to keep their hair up or at least tied back.

The woman, who didn't look much older than Katara, looked around, seeing nobody.

"Hello?" she asked softly. She gasped softly when she saw the Water Tribe girl step out from the shadows. Had this girl been sent to stay here, as punishment for not pleasing Zuko? Usually the concubines had to stay in this wing but as far as she and the other women knew, the blue-eyed girl remained in the Prince's rooms.

"Are you…all right?" Katara asked softly, "I heard someone crying and..." She wondered if this woman would look down at her like the nobles had done. She had never actually conversed with any of Ozai's concubines even though she had seen them at the extravagant social functions, white-faced as she was. The woman gazed at her in surprise, her dark golden eyes seeming to glow in the darkness, and Katara swallowed. She felt intimidated by the woman's stare and started to back away. Past the woman's shoulder she could see a few others in the semidarkness and the fact hit her. This was the concubine's wing.

"S... sorry to have bothered you..." Katara said quietly, starting to back away more. The concubine looked at her, unsure of what to say until she heard a familiar set of footsteps approach around the corner. On impulse, she grabbed the Water Tribe girl's collar and yanked her into the room, shoving her at another woman as she closed the door as quietly as she could.

Katara was quickly ushered into a black lacquered armoire, surrounded by silk robes, and said nothing as the door shut on her, hearing a gentle admonition to remain quiet. The door however wasn't solid wood, it had a design cut into it along most of its face, more like a screen than a door and she quickly hid behind several robes that hung from hooks on the inside walls.

She snuggled into a more comfortable position, guessing that she would have to remain unnoticed for whoever was coming.

The doors slammed open and in walked the Fire Lord. Katara did not dare move, not even to put her hand over her mouth, and simply bit her lip. He stood there, tall and well-muscled, wearing no shirt. He had on red silk hakama, his robe hanging open to reveal his sculpted chest. His cruel gold eyes moved around the room slowly, and all of the women in the chamber shivered keeping their heads low as they bowed to him, not wanting to catch his attention. Katara counted seven of them as far as she could see.

One of them had a red face, and she was obviously the one who had been crying. She was shaking, trying to hide her face with the sleeve of her dark red robe. The surroundings were opulent, with elaborate hangings and rugs, and scattered around were thick pillows to sit on and a low lacquered table. Off to one side she saw a doorway that led to another lavishly-appointed room. But what good did it do if these women were unhappy?

The Fire Lord strode to the red-faced female and slapped her hard, causing her to cry out as she keeled over to the side from the blow. The other women flinched and cowered from him

"I am most displeased with your latest performance." he stated coldly, glaring down at that woman. His golden eyes glinted under the light from the lamps.

"Most displeased." he repeated, leaning down to hit her again. She cried out again and pleaded for mercy. Everyone else remained stock-still.

"Please forgive me, my lord! I was... simply not well. I shall do better next time!"

"You may have one last chance, but I have no desire for you tonight. We'll see about tomorrow." he said before hitting her a third time, going for her other cheek and attacking her with a cruel backhand. She screamed as the crack of the blow resounded through the air and he suddenly pulled her hair, forcing her to her knees.

"Let this be a warning to all of you." he stated coldly. The other concubines shuddered and shrank back further. He turned around and pointed at one concubine.

"You will pleasure me tonight." Ozai stated. The woman quickly bowed and nodded. The Fire Lord turned back to the woman he had just abused.

"You better come up with something good to pleasure me tomorrow night if I decide to summon you, or you will be sent to the Winter Garden." he stated icily. The woman moaned softly as her eyes widened.

The Winter Garden was an euphemism for the Palace of Discarded Concubines, a building in a secluded part of the Palace City, nicknamed as such because summer was the Fire Nation's favorite season, and winter was when the lands were cool and very few flowers bloomed. Some brothels and pleasure establishments used various garden or flower words to describe their business, such as Palace of Fire-lilies, or Garden of Earthly Delights. Since gardens were generally bare in the winter, 'Winter Garden' was an appropriate name for the place where the disfavored concubines were sent to wither away for the rest of their lives, much in the way that people forgot about the flowers they threw away after they no longer looked or smelled so pleasing.

The Fire Lord left the room with the concubine he had selected in tow. There was an uncomfortable silence in the room for a few moments before the concubine that had let her in opened the armoire, and she fell out. Katara looked up at the concubine. She was beautiful, but she saw pain in the woman's eyes.

"You should stay here for the night and hide in case he decides to come back. He changes his mind suddenly, sometimes. If he catches you out in the hall..." she let the words trail off.

"Why does he do that to you?" Katara asked softly, looking around at the other women. All of them were very beautiful, with delicate features. None looked older than twenty. A couple actually looked around her own age.

"Because we disappoint him. He is a fickle man, with... _high_ standards." the woman said with a small shrug.

"How can be so cruel?" Katara asked and the woman sighed softly. Zuko had never manhandled her like Ozai had done to that woman, and she felt a surge of gratitude for the Prince's consideration.

"He just is."

"How did you end up here?" Katara asked softly and the woman stared off for a few moments before looking at her again.

"My brother sold me." the woman told her. A brother selling his own sister into this? She couldn't imagine Sokka treating her so callously.

"I'm sorry." Katara said. The woman shrugged and sighed softly.

"I don't know who's worse, the Lord or my brother."

"Um…what's your name? And why would he do something like that?"

"My name is Zhao Hana…and my brother…he desires for power. He will do anything for it, and scruples do not matter to him. Even though he keeps getting promotions in the Fire Navy, he felt like he had to do this to me… just to gain even more favor with the Fire Lord."

Katara nodded quietly for a moment. _Zhao_? This young woman... was the name mere coincidence? She saw no resemblance between this beautiful young woman and that loathsome Firebender with the ridiculously oversized sideburns...

"Will... that other woman be all right?" she asked softly, pointing to the crying woman.

"I do not know." Hana murmured softly.

"Will you let me help her?" Katara asked. Hana blinked then nodded. The azure-eyed girl sighed softly as she knelt next to the crying woman, carefully lifting her chin up. Not only were her cheeks red... but she saw a bruise around her eye as well... presumably from when she had 'displeased' the Fire Lord.

"Will someone get me some small towels or cloth and cold water?" Katara asked no one in particular. A few of the women just stared at her but one of them hastened to do as she asked.

She turned away from the others, dipping the rag into the bowl of water, and making sure no one saw her, she used her bending abilities to freeze the water just the slightest bit before she pressed it against the woman's cheek. The woman whimpered as the others watched curiously. Hana simply watched calmly. They had probably not been expecting a 'little barbarian girl' – that was one of Ozai's so-called endearments for his son's concubine – to be helping one of them or treating her so kindly. But none of them moved to make cruel remarks at her, or even sneer at her like many of the nobles would do.

When she had done what she could she backed away, helping the woman to lay down in one of the plush beds in the other room, wondering if Zuko's mother had been like one of these women. It was no wonder Zuko came back to her looking somewhat haunted. What had he seen with his own eyes? What did the Fire Lord do that she was fortunate enough to not be witness to?

Katara sighed softly; wondering just how the hell to get out of this situation as the other women regarded her silently. She was just grateful they didn't look at her with hostility. She found herself wanting to help them, and got to her feet, shaking slightly.

At least Zuko wasn't cruel to her like this but…deep down she worried that he'd wind up just like his father if enough time passed. She looked around at the other women. They were all miserable and looked resigned to their fates, of being used up and then discarded at the Fire Lord's will.

"Where... do I sleep?" Katara asked softly. She hoped to sneak back out and into Zuko's bed. He would be so worried out if he woke up and saw she wasn't there, but she had to be careful out in the halls, and was not about to disregard Hana's advice.

The concubines looked at each other before one of them tore a comforter off one of the beds and a couple of the others volunteered extra blankets and pillows. Together, they made a bed over in a third room room, which looked to be a sitting room. She saw an unfinished game of Pai Sho on the table, and they hid her over in the corner behind another armoire.

"He doesn't really come into this room, he mainly just stays in the front room to choose a woman." Hana explained, "So you should be safe here. Just in case Ze displeases him..."

"Thank you. I appreciate it. What are your names?" she asked. The women rattled off their names one by one.

Yi., Lan Yu, Kiku, Natsumi, and Min introduced themselves, and she was glad to see that their tones were free of hostility or any other negativity, though she did hear a bit of wariness, or reluctance – not that she blamed them. Perhaps they regarded her as an equal, given her situation.

Katara didn't relish sleeping in a corner, but these women were right, and they had been generous with bedding so she could be comfortable at least. Their generosity touched her and she looked at them. They looked different without the white face paint, and they looked at her with something that bordered on friendliness, though they still looked haunted. What did Ozai consider 'pleasure?'

She settled down, relishing in the soft comforter – no one could say that these women were not at least taken care of. A few retreated to go to sleep, and the others remained in the room to finish the game. She heard soft sniffles from the other room, knowing that it was Lan Yu.

It was very quiet and obviously the woman was trying to muffle it and Katara sighed, leaving her corner and sitting on the bed, stroking the woman's hair gently. The woman looked up at her with a small but grateful smile and she continued her gentle touch until the woman quieted down.

Hana watched her quietly. The girl intrigued her, and she wondered why Ozai's son would choose her as a concubine. She had seen Katara with Zuko at the social functions and it seemed that she was faring better than any of the Fire Lord's women. She held up well under Ozai's sly insults, and the glances of the nobles who obviously looked down at her for her 'barbarian' heritage.

Not that being highborn meant anything, really. She missed her home and her parents, especially her mother. She had lost both of her parents at a young age and been put under the guardianship of her brother. She had then lived out the years of her childhood being mostly ignored by her brother. Others had often remarked on her beauty as she approached womanhood, and it seemed that she would marry another nobleman, for several had already issued proposals to her brother. Then a few months ago, on a rare occasion that she was with her brother at a social function, all dressed up extravagantly which she had thought odd because her brother usually couldn't care less, the Fire Lord had noticed her. And now she was stuck like this, waiting for Ozai to be bored of her. She could only hope that her lot would improve, and that she could find a good husband later, though for former concubines, the chance was not high, especially if the Fire Lord decided to relegate her to the dreaded Palace of Discarded Concubines – a miserable building on the fringes of the Palace complex especially made for concubines who not only lost their master's interest, but had done something shameful and disgraceful, such as having an affair with a servant or guard, or insulting the Fire Lord. In the past, women sent there often killed themselves, because what else was there for them after they had incurred the Fire Lord's wrath?

If she had been born a peasant, then she could have led a simple and hopefully happy life instead of being sold to the Fire Lord by a greedy Admiral who did not care for his much younger half sister other than how she could be used to better his own lot..

o0o0o0o

The Prince of the Fire Nation lay there, staring at the wall, having just woken up. He was yet unaware of the fact that his partner was missing.

It had felt strange to come home to see what his father had come to. His hands looked to Zuko more like claws than human hands, and the way he moved, it seemed almost unnatural. Yet Zuko could feel the power emanating from his sire.

The young Firebender had a strange sense of foreboding. The comet would be soon approaching, and then...the Fire Nation would be unstoppable, and Ozai...could unleash his full madness. _Madness?_ Where had that word come from? He should not be thinking about his father that way!

He shivered, remembering the gleam in his father's eyes upon seeing the Avatar. Yet, before the Avatar had awakened, everyone thought he was lost forever. So why had Ozai sent him away when he knew his own son might never return? His great-grandsire, grandsire, and sire had all gone on searches for the Avatar, though not in exile. Would he have remained in exile forever?

He narrowed his eyes, turning his thoughts to Commander – no, Admiral Zhao, remembering his cruel words.

_You can't compete with me. I have hundreds of warships under my command. And you, you're just a banished prince. No home. No allies. Your own father doesn't even want you._

_You're wrong. Once I deliver the Avatar to my father, he will welcome me home with honor, and restore my rightful place on the throne._

_If your father really wanted you home, he would have let you return by now, Avatar or no Avatar. But in his eyes you are a failure and a disgrace to the Fire Nation._

_That's not true._

_You have the scar to prove it._

Certainly his father was _not _that capricious was he? This place did not really feel like home. Not anymore. And he had been so anxious to return to it. He wondered briefly how his uncle had felt especially when they had returned home to a world that seemed to be ruled by a despot.

Zuko had grown older and jaded from his three years of exile, and had learned things he would never forget. Now coming back...he saw more than he had ever seen before. He'd seen not a father over the time he had been here, but a monster and Zuko was afraid to see anymore. He hated it here. He had been a lot happier on the ship. These years in exile had been freedom in its own way even though he had not been able to set foot on Fire Nation lands.

Now this Palace, the home of his childhood, felt like a prison to him. The sense of wrongness about this place, about his father, about the Fire Nation, it only grew and grew.

He had been in the war room today, heard the generals discussing war strategies. But this time he did not speak out. And more men were going to more useless deaths. He'd not even spoken out when he'd heard a plan his father had conceived, a plan that called for the extermination of the town of Kyoshi.

Why not? After all, the Air Nomads were extinct, and the Water Tribe's numbers were sparse thanks to Fire Navy raids. It was wrong. So very wrong. But he found himself unable to speak.

Another thing he had noticed was his uncle's absence. But he had not asked about that. Especially when his father had fixed those bitter yellow eyes of his on Zuko from behind the fire wall that served to change his firm into nothing but a silhouette. He had felt his father's eyes bore into him during much of that meeting, and he had sat like a statue, saying nothing, only expressing agreement when a question was asked to him directly. Even his face had been neutral; not betraying the emotions he felt.

He'd felt... _fear_. He thought back on that meeting as he lay there and realized something. It wasn't just fear he had felt. It was hatred and revulsion. For his father, for the war, for the nobles, for the whole system...

His father had accused him of having no honor, right before he'd exiled his son. He wished he'd never come back here. He should have done what Katara said. He should have let the Avatar loose and sided with him. There were so many questions rolling around in his head…

He rolled over, wanting to speak to his woman, only to stiffen in shock. She was missing! Panic settled deep into him as his hand reached out to the other side of the bed, feeling no warm flesh. Had something happened to her?

The Prince sat up, looking around for her as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. She was in none of the other rooms in the suite. Damn it to the nine hells, she hadn't tried to sneak down to the Avatar, had she? He hoped for her sake she hadn't.

He quickly put a robe on over his silk trousers and opened the door, scanning the hall. No signs of foul play here; he mused as he walked down the hall, passing the door to the concubine quarters. He had often passed by this door when he was younger; knowing the women who lived in there belonged to his father. He had never been cruel to the women, simply treating them with indifference.

He paused at the doors, wondering if he should go in and ask. Was it appropriate for him to go into his father's concubine's rooms?

He was the Prince. He could come and go as he pleased, and it wasn't as if he was asking them to service him. He walked to the door and opened it without knocking, and a few of the women raised their heads in surprise and alarm. He said nothing, striding into the room, and saw several plush beds through the doorway that led to the sleeping quarters. There was a woman in the bed nearest the door and she had a bruise around her eye. Sadly, that did not surprise him.

Zuko said nothing to that woman, letting her sleep as he looked around slowly. No one said anything to him, and the few women that were awake just cowered before him. They probably thought he was here to abuse them or ask them to service him.

One of the women however, stared at him through the darkness, a single small lamp illuminating her form. She wondered why he was here. Perhaps Ozai had told him to 'help himself', or perhaps he wanted his Water Tribe girl?

He scanned the room and the women before turning to leave and Hana stared at him.

"Is...is there something you need, my Prince?" she asked respectfully.

"I am looking for my woman. Have you seen her?" he asked in a calm voice and she stiffened, unsure of what to say. Was this man here to punish the Water Tribe girl? Should she tell him where she was? She looked down, saying nothing and Zuko noticed her reaction and sighed softly.

"If she is here, please tell me. I do not want my father to know she is here."

"You... wish her no harm?"

"No, I do not."

"The girl is here." she whispered softly, "we warned her to stay here until the morning because of the guards."

"Where is she?"

"We uh…hid her in the other room…" Hana said, pointing to the sitting room, "In the corner, she's bundled up in blankets."

The Prince nodded and found the girl in no time, admiring how the concubines had hidden her behind a large piece of furniture. He felt grateful for that but wondered why she was here and opened up the blankets, picking her up and slinging her over his shoulder as she moaned softly.

As Zuko passed Hana, he bowed his head to her just slightly. The concubine had to keep herself from gaping in shock. She was below the Prince; he was not required to bow to anyone but his father.

As the Waterbender came more and more awake she realized someone had her over his shoulder and for a moment she feared that Ozai had found her and was going to 'use' her. She started struggling, but the arms held her firm and she was soon enough dumped onto a bed.

She gasped softly as she looked up at him. feeling relieved to see Zuko and not Ozai. But what was he doing up? She stared at his form in the darkness, not saying anything, afraid that she would receive punishment for sneaking out.

"Are you all right?" he asked. She nodded mutely.

"What the hell were you doing in there?" he asked, with an insistent edge to his voice.

"I... heard someone crying…" she said softly. He nodded slowly.

"It's better to not be in there." he replied quietly and she nodded.

"I kinda figured." she said softly, not telling him about what she had seen. She blinked when she was pulled into a sudden and fierce hug.

"I was so worried for you." Zuko whispered fiercely, nuzzling her cheek.

"I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to cause trouble or scare you…" she said softly as she curled up in his arms. "Zuko, I'm scared. I don't like it here. I don't know how much longer I can stand living here." she admitted. He looked at her quietly, not looking the least bit angry.

"I do not like it here either." was his soft reply as he caressed her cheek. He truly felt bad for her, it was no picnic for her. Not any more than it was for him. He recalled all the things that he had been told and seen...

His father was…well, he was not quite sure just what his sire was. But he knew one thing, Ozai was not in the best state of mind, at least to him, and the Fire Nation was an extension of his madness. Was it possible that his father was the one without honor?

It echoed in his mind like a drum. _Without honor. Without honor. Without honor._

His father...was the reason why this war had gotten so out of control. It had all started with Sozin and continued with Azulon. But with Ozai it would all come to a head. People were sick of the war, of that he was painfully aware. He had seen its effects. And Sozin's comet would come soon enough and then...there would be no going back. His father would strike against everyone else in one devastating final measure.

Everything else would be gone and only the Fire Nation would remain. That was not right. It would be a irrevocable wrong. More than wrong, actually. It would unbalance everything, probably forever, and the thought filled him with cold dread.


	16. The War Room

Hot Water

Chapter XV – The War Room

o0o0o0o

It was another tedious day in the war room. Preparations were well underway, and not a day went by in the last two weeks that the generals and ministers did not convene in this chamber to discuss the plans that would bring the Fire Nation to its full glory. Summer was well nigh, but nobody seemed to notice.

Sozin's comet would be gracing the heavens at the end of summer, and a huge celebration was planned in the city on the summer solstice to commemorate the season and the fact that soon after that, the campaigns to various parts of the world would commence. As the comet came closer, Zuko would be embarking on the campaign to take Ba Sing Se. Which was something that he was most certainly not looking forward to. His father wanted a genocide. He did not agree with this but did not dare speak out, and felt almost trapped in a corner, helpless to prevent the carnage that summer would bring.

He felt himself spiraling closer and closer to insanity from this feeling of being unable to prevent this disaster. Listening to the general's plans, his father's plans… it was almost as if they were trying to outdo each other in viciousness, trying to see how much they could damage the Earth Kingdom with their impending power. There was talk of slavery, of genocide, of the destruction or pillaging of Earth Kingdom treasures.

He had been so eager to come home to…_this?_

He remembered passing into Fire Nation waters, before being stopped by a larger ship. The commander of the ship, one that he had remembered as one of the fairer and even minded generals, had regretfully announced that he had to arrest the Prince for breaking the rules of his exile… until Zuko had made his announcement.

"I have captured the Avatar!" he had stated triumphantly and the general grinned at him, letting him pass on after Zuko had brought him down to the brig to show off the manacled Avatar. He would never forget the look of surprise on the old man's face, but Zuko also saw the slightest bit of delight and approval. After all, the Avatar had been in hiding for a century. And the war had been raging for just as long. Zuko remembered the man from before his exile, he had been in some ways like Iroh. So the kind general had escorted Zuko's ship, making sure there was no trouble along the way.

He noted that said general was not in this war room. It was as if Ozai had weeded out the more vicious men in the army and placed them all in the same room. Which in a twisted way, made sense to him, considering the Fire Lord's goals. And said vicious men were also among the highest-ranking in the army, which just made it more clear to him what his father thought of his goals, of the Fire Nation, and what he wanted his army to be.

The Prince remembered setting foot on the dock, his own small ship dwarfed by the several other large warships in the bay. It had been satisfying but odd to see all the banners that were hung up, and the people that waited to see him. The guards stood silently, keeping order, but he saw joy and relief in many faces and some of the civilians even waved smaller banners or the red shirts off their backs, welcoming him back home. It was as... if they were welcoming him back from some sort of heroic quest, instead of a mission his father had forced on him.

Somehow that did not surprise him. At the Agni Kai he had with his father, only the highest-ranking citizens and nobles were present, and even then he doubted they themselves were aware of just why he had been in the Agni Kai in the first place. It was not as of Ozai would announce that his son had decided to speak out against the useless slaughter of soldiers. Most likely the Fire Lord had told the populace that Zuko had gone off on a heroic quest, as if he had decided it on a whim, and was now returning triumphantly, and this celebration only added to it.

He didn't know whether he liked this or not, but did it really matter? At least his own citizens wanted him back, and he would be ruling over them one day.

He looked down at the table, watching as one of the generals moved a few figures across it, laying out a strategy to take down the village of Kyoshi, which personally seemed a waste of time to him, as it was only a small village. But he said nothing, and instead simply looked up quietly and to his side, seeing the wall of flames and his sire sitting behind it.

It was as if a fire burned within his father, a fire that would eventually consume that mortal form of his and leave only his power and hatted behind. Whenever he spoke he had steel in his voice, a steel matched by no one else, and his eyes glinted with predatory fire. Zuko could only imagine the effect that Sozin's comet would have on him.

He had once idolized his father, trying to emulate him, wishing to be like his sire, so strong and powerful and wise. Now, as he compared himself to the Fire Lord, he was grateful for all of their differences.

He almost couldn't believe that he had once wanted to emulate the Fire Lord so badly. But now his sire felt like a stranger to him, and as the men around him droned on, discussing battle plans, he let his mind wander.

The young Firebender was not happy. No matter what he did or told himself, this fact remained. He had felt increasingly detached from everyone in Court. The nobles were sycophants, rules of etiquette felt stupid and useless, and the propaganda around him no longer affected him though he pretended that it did. He thought back on all the banquets, meetings, and Court gatherings he had sat through, with or without Katara at his side.

And Katara the nobles were calling her the Azure Concubine because of the color of her eyes, and though the words themselves weren't terrible, he knew that many of the nobles used this label in a derogatory manner, throwing their sisters or daughters at him in an attempt to replace this now-famous Water Tribe woman. He enjoyed Katara's company more than he did anyone else, with the exception of his uncle.

The Palace was no longer the haven it had once been. He was a stranger in a strange land.

The Prince stifled a sigh as he stared at the board, listening as one of the generals discussed a different strategy, moving a few pieces across the board. This general unlike the others, seemed more conservative when it came to the lives of those under his command, seeking out the most efficient way to being down his target without wasting too many of these soldiers. Zuko took particular note of the strategy, as he never wasted opportunities to learn.

Looking at the board, one could almost think it was a game. Perhaps that was what it was to these other men. A mere game. After all, they had but to command. They did not have to fight, so what did they have to worry about? So a few soldiers – or more than that – were lost, what did it matter as long as the generals brought the victories for the Fire Lord and his Nation?

Pieces were moved across the board, strategies discussed, approved or denied by the Fire Lord, and brought about with real men instead of little toys under the same commands. The fate of countless men lay in the hands of his father. The man remained mostly silent, but his silence was not to be taken as naivete or ignorance. He listened to everything everyone said with a keen ear, approving or disapproving, or putting two plans together, or once in a while, bringing forth his own plans and breaking the silence he usually maintained as the generals discussed their ideas before him.

Zuko listened as he always did, taking in everything. Once in a while, he would suggest something, always careful of his wording, and putting forth ideas that were generally met with approval. He was careful to not let his personal opinions cloud his words, and when his father approved of an idea he had submitted, he felt an immense surge of relief wash over him.

He was frankly not looking forward to Ba Sing Se, and knew in fact that quite a few of not most of these generals would be all too happy to take his place. Taking the famed Earth Kingdom city would be quite the feat, and be an excellent mark on ones record. His record. He would be the leader, and General Carsk and Hisaki would be accompanying him, but he would be the one in charge. Which meant that he would be the one to issue orders for taking over the city and… the massacre that his father wanted.

The pieces stopped moving, and Zuko held back a sigh, glad that the meeting was over. He simply wanted to go back to his suite, as it was late in the evening. He was hungry, and he wanted to share a meal and a hot bath with his concubine and have her hold him. He imagined inhaling the sweet smell of her skin, nuzzling the valley between her breasts, feeling her arms around him.

"And now for one final matter of business." Ozai said. The Prince made sure not to react. His first instinct had been to stiffen but he managed to maintain his receptive but alert demeanor. Just what did his father have up his sleeve?

"My spies tell me that there's _still_ a Water Tribe village located at the South Pole, a tribe that aided in the Avatar's first escape. Admiral Hei?"

"Yes my lord?"

"You will take your fleet there and you will obliterate the entire village and kill everything that moves, is that understood? That is the price they pay for harboring the Avatar and disobeying my son."

"Yes, at once, my lord." Hei said, bowing his head.

Zuko looked up slowly at his father, swallowing an indignant remark as he carefully formulated his words, speaking in a calm and respectful tone.

"My lord, their numbers are so low. Shouldn't we be concentrating on the larger numbers of the Earth Kingdom? After all, that Water Tribe is so far from us." Zuko said, gesturing to the map, where the Water Tribe territory was marked with a small patch of a dull gray-blue near the left side of the table, as opposed to the dark red color of the Fire Nation and the pale yellow of Earth Kingdom. There was nothing on the map to indicate the lands that had once belonged to the Air Nomads, since these islands were now marked in red due to the genocide of the Nomads. "I thought that Omashu and Ba Sing Se were our primary targets. Once these are ours, the rest of the Earth provinces will have to surrender to us or face certain annihilation. And what remains of the Water Tribes will have to follow their example."

The Fire Lord turned his head to face his son, his shadow seeming to become larger behind the flames.

"You are correct about Omashu and Ba Sing Se being our primary targets. My spies have found a way into King Bumi's domain, and they will assassinate him and the leader of his soldiers, leaving there one of their greatest cities open to us. And you yourself will be dealing with the other city. Between you and the other two generals, Ba Sing Se and Omashu will fall. You will have plenty of troops, as well as all the other generals. But the ones who harbored the Avatar will be dealt with, from young to old, until none defy us again."

"Even the... children and the women?" Zuko asked, trying not to sound horrified. He remembered that small village, the women who had looked at the ship with terrified eyes, the small children in soft, thick parkas, huddled against their mothers and grandmothers. There had been no men in the village.

"Why not? Children grow into adults and would rise up to defy others, and women have proven themselves to be exceptional teachers of rebellion."

"Their numbers are already so scarce." Zuko pointed out, "because we have already raided them so much. The North Water Tribes are already extinct. General Kodo destroyed their city of ice a dozen years ago and it has been that way ever since. Could they ever really present any trouble to us? Unlike the Earth Kingdom, the Water Tribes have been no real force in the war…"

"Not on their own, but as a symbol. They, like the Avatar, are a threat because they offer hope through their resilience." the Fire Lord replied with a cruel tone. Zuko was silent for a few moments, mulling over what his father had said. His father seemed to want to genuinely kill everyone opposed to him, even the innocents.

What had the Air Nomads ever done to Sozin? Nothing. He had read the history books, and there had been no record of conflict from the Nomads. But Sozin had crushed them anyways.

And now... the Water Tribes and then the Earth Kingdom, where Ozai would simply decimate the race, and use what was left as labor. The balance was being thrown off. The fire would consume all. And nothing would be left.

Zuko said nothing, getting lost in his own thoughts, the conversation around him dying to a buzz as they discussed this new strategy. Evidently, his father knew how to create a web, his intelligence and cruelty were more than a dangerous combination, and it was deadly. And poisonous.

He felt himself being numbed by that poison.

He found himself hearing the generals' questions and felt even more sickened hearing how brutal some of them would be. It seemed as if they would like to torch each and every one of their enemies one by one just to hear their screams. What was worse, his father approved and wanted a massacre. Encouraged it, even. This was not what war was supposed to be for!

He thought of that small Water Tribe village. They stood no chance whatsoever. What would Katara say when she found out? It was not a matter of if, it was _when_. Katara knew what would happen when Sozin's comet came. She had learned much on the ship and in Sozun of the Fire Nation and the world around her, things that would have never be known to her in the village.

Would she hate Zuko when she heard that her own village had been destroyed? What if she became the last Waterbender? He knew that... once she learned of it, nothing would make it better. He was not a unkind master, and did his best to keep her comfortable. He took her out into Sozun to enjoy the sights whenever he could, and it was good for himself as well. He would also go out to plays and other performances, walk out on the docks, taking her shopping. He brought her gifts to make up for the long days where he was gone and she was shut away in his rooms, and he always offered her a gentle touch. He had always tried to make her stay here as comfortable as he could, and after the campaigns were over, he planned to look into estates on the bay so she could have a nice place to stay without being stuck in the Palace. Sure, the Fire Lord had already said no, but if he came home with another victory, perhaps his sire would be more lenient.

He knew she was unhappy. Not with him, he hoped, but nonetheless he was responsible for it. He had brought her here along with the others. He knew she felt betrayed, and also felt as if she was betraying the Avatar. On the ship, he and Iroh had been teaching her about Palace life, teaching her proper behaviors and such. Katara took in all they had to teach her, but he could see it in her eyes. She felt as if she was betraying her friend and her own people by learning Fire Nation customs, and he did not blame her. He knew Iroh also suspected, but neither of them comforted Katara in this aspect. She was now part of Fire Nation, whether she liked it or not. It was that simple. He felt bad for her, but he didn't let her see it. Guilt gnawed at him inside for what he had done to her, but what could he do?

The soft chattering died down as Ozai stood up. Now he knew the meeting was over for certain.

"It will set a fine example for those who oppose us." Ozai smirked. That was when Zuko stood up. He could not take it anymore.

"It will only make the Earth Kingdom hate us and fight more strongly against us." Zuko stated, keeping his calm. He knew there was outrage over the genocide of the Nomads. Add the Water Tribes to the list, and the Earth Kingdom would doubtless rise in rebellion to save itself from a fate that had befallen two of the elemental races.

"If they defy me, then they deserve to be annihilated." Ozai said coldly.

"They defy us because we provoke them with our tactics." Zuko replied. The generals stared at him silently. He continued staring at the man that had sired him, the man who had passed down many of his traits to his offspring… except his cruelty.

The flames parted to reveal the Fire Lord, and their eyes met as they regarded each other silently for a moment. Zuko was chilled by what he saw in these fiery gold depths.

"Then they will die for not submitting." Ozai stated coldly, "as will those who question my orders."

The silence from the generals was so thick that Zuko could feel it, as well as the darkness that emanated from his father. His hands slowly balled up into fists as he stared at the man that sat up there imperiously, as if he ruled the world – a goal that he would achieve if he had his own way. Zuko was determined to not let that happen.

"I challenge you to an Agni Kai. And this time, I _will_ fight you."


	17. Separation

Hot Water

Chapter XVI – Separation

o0o0o0o

The generals did not even gasp or exclaim when they heard Zuko's bold declaration. Ozai let out a bone-chilling laugh as the fire-wall extinguished itself completely.

"I expected no less from you, Zuko."

"Very well, my lord. We will fight at sundown." he said calmly, though his heart was pounding. The Fire Lord nodded silently in agreement, Agni Kais were held at sunrises and sunsets only, and for that Zuko was glad, so he could have time to prepare. But then so would his father… He did not look forward to tomorrow's sundown, but knew it had to be done.

Already, Zuko could hear the gears in the general's minds turning, processing this new situation and what it could mean for them in either outcome. He could not read in their faces who they wanted to win. It was probably better that way…

"This time though, you will not be scarred and banished. You will die..._offspring_." the Fire Lord stated, making that word sound like a curse. The blood ran cold in Zuko's veins but he kept his face impassive.

"We will see who wins... my lord." Zuko replied just as coldly before he turned and left the room, leaving a stunned silence behind him.

o0o0o0o

Ozai glanced coolly at the generals. They simply looked down, not wanting to be immolated by his gaze. He went back to finishing his commands, finalizing the new strategy, enjoying the fact that Zuko would one way or another be out of his way.

He would enjoy watching as the boy fell before him. He had such high hopes for the boy. Zuko had been an excellent student, taking in his lessons, learning how to be a fit ruler for the mighty lands of Fire Nation. But the boy was too soft. He was weak, proving himself as such just now by asking that the Water Tribes be spared from annihilation and then thinking to defy him with an Agni Kai. Oh well. He was getting older but he was still strong and virile, and he could produce more heirs by withdrawing the herbs the royal physician gave to his concubines.

It really was too bad, that he had wasted so much time grooming the boy. But he could see now that Zuko was far too soft. The Fire Lords had to be of better stock, like Sozin, not a soft weakling like Iroh, which was why _he_ was Fire Lord, and not his elder brother. A great legacy was built on hardness, cruelty, and a thirst for power, not something so weak as compassion or mercy.

o0o0o0o

The Prince of the Fire Nation strode back to the suite, opening the door and closing it before he stalked into the bedchamber, falling back on the bed. The jarring of the mattress startled Katara who had just gone to sleep. The adrenaline that had pumped through him just now had subsided and he felt scared. It was like having his blood sugar drop down suddenly to a dangerous low, and he felt tired and dizzy.

"Katara…" he moaned softly, barely able to utter that word. The azure-eyed girl stirred, lifting her head from the pillow to look down at him. It was dark and she could not see his face, but there was no mistaking the tone in his voice, and she wondered what had happened.

"Hold me. Gods above, what have I done?" he whispered. She gasped softly, scampering from under the covers and taking his head into her lap, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She had never seen him like this, sure he would look sad or depressed before but she had never heard him speak like this. His voice had been... raw and disbelieving, as if he had done something momentous that he was now unsure of.

"What's wrong, Zuko?" she asked softly, dreading what he might say, imagining the worst. He spilled it out, how his father had wanted another slaughter, although he neglected to say exactly just who Ozai wanted to exterminate, and he had stood up and challenged his Lord to a Agni Kai. Katara could not even speak for a few moments as his words sunk into her. She had longed for him to stand up to the Fire Lord, but she hadn't imagined it to turn out this way.

"I may die at sunset tomorrow…" he murmured. She shook her head.

"You can't die! You _can't_!" the Waterbender said firmly, squeezing him, surprised at the feelings she had at the prospect of losing him, "you can stand up to him. You're younger and I've seen how you fight. You can do it."

"It's not that." Zuko said darkly, narrowing his eyes, "I... sense a dark power around him."

"It's probably because of all the death and destruction he creates." Katara replied just as darkly.

"I'm scared." he said softly, sounding like a little boy. She had never heard him speak in that tone and rubbed his back in an attempt to soothe and reassure him, very much like a mother would.

"You can't be scared Zuko, otherwise he will win." Katara said firmly, trying to give him strength.

"I acted rashly, like I did last time..." Zuko whispered and she nuzzled him before he continued, "I was stupid..."

"No, you weren't. You did what you did to stand up against a wrong."

"If I die... I don't know what will happen. To Iroh, to my guards. To _you_." he said softly, the last part weighing heavily upon him. His challenge to his father had doomed them all. He didn't even want to think about how many years Aang would be forced to live like a rat in a cage, or how Iroh would simply languish in the lonely estate he now resided in, out of the Court's favor. And of course there was Katara herself. What would Ozai do? Rape her just for the fun of it and kill her or toss her to his sadistic generals who would no doubt delight in a toy to take out their twisted amusements on?

He could beg his father for mercy. But he knew that would never work. Or he could simply run away with Katara and possibly his uncle as well, and hide. But he couldn't stand by and let his father do what he had been doing, continuing what his grandfather and great-grandfather had also done. He _would_ fight in the Agni Kai, and pray to the gods that he came out victorious. He had to for everyone's sake, including his own.

"You will win." she said softly, stroking his scalp, relishing the feel of the soft, thick hair.

"I wish I could believe that." he said, staring off at the wall.

"You will." she insisted fiercely, trying to encourage him. He looked up into those deep blue eyes that always helped to soothe him. He sighed softly as she touched his cheek, reveling in her touch, taking comfort from it. "You will win. You are better than he is." she said as she continued to stroke his face.

"I hope so." Zuko said, trying to sound brave. She sighed softly.

"I mean it. I don't want to see you lose or get hurt." she said quietly. He nuzzled her hand, holding it close to his face, feeling the small hand wrapped in his own.

"I know." he said softly, giving her a wistful smile. If it weren't for her presence, he would have gone mad already. He found comfort in her embrace and presence.

"You're a better person than him, Zuko. You have to win." she worried about the Avatar and the world and what would happen if Zuko lost.

He nodded quietly, holding her hand for a bit and they held each other in silence as plans ran through his mind. He then placed a gentle kiss on her hand.

"Go to bed." he said softly, helping her under the covers again. "I have a few things to do…but I will be back."

Katara nodded and yawned as he nuzzled her and tucked her in, falling asleep shortly as Zuko stared at her for a few moments before putting his plans in motion.

o0o0o0o

The days passed for Aang in a haze. He did not even know when it was day or night, and all time lost meaning. Hours became minutes, or days, and to him it did not matter. He actually welcomed the food they brought to him for the drugs it contained.

When he was first brought here, he had no desire to eat. He had been quite beaten up by the Fire Lord himself, but not before he was forced to drink some sort of substance that had pretty wiped out his ability to use his powers. He had thought he would have died from the beating but Ozai stopped just short of any fatal blows and injuries. The first time the guards had set a tray of food in front of him and left him, he had not touched the food at all. When they came back a few hours later to see that the food wasn't touched, they had resorted to threats and force-feeding. Since then he had eaten the food whenever they brought it to him, and the food really was not bad. They could have fed him food that had maggots or insects or droppings in it or anything else, but surprisingly it was the best part of his confinement. It was usually brought to him warm, prompting him to eat it before it became cold, and tasted decent. He figured it was because he wasn't a common prisoner, and his survival actually counted, so did his health at least to an extent because he couldn't be allowed to die for a long time. It had been a while since the Fire Lord came down to hit him, and most of his bruises were faded away, though he still had a few lacerations.

And after eating the food, he would always fall into the haze that he had come to welcome. When he was in the haze, he could shut away the pain and the fear and the loneliness and imagine he was elsewhere. Having a conversation with Monk Gyatso. Playing with the other acolytes at the temple. Riding high in the skies with Appa. Listening to Sokka and Katara argue. Seeing Katara's beautiful eyes and smile and hearing her laugh. He missed Katara most of all and when he was in a more lucid state, he would worry for her, how she was, hoping Zuko was treating her well, longing for her presence and comfort. He missed hugging her, listening to her, holding her hand. He imagined himself talking with them, even holding conversations in his head with them as if they were really there.

He even found himself missing Zuko. Zuko had at least treated him and Sokka honorably, and Katara had seemed to be all right too.

Aang would never forget the day Zuko had come down here and offered him a final mercy. Part of him wanted to say yes, knowing he would simply be reborn. But part of him remained stubborn. He was the Avatar. Giving up was weak, and the Fire Lord might hunt down what was left of the Water Tribes to find him.

He had no idea how much time had passed since that visit, and he found himself hoping Zuko would come. He knew he might never see Katara again. Ozai had come a few times, and he hated these encounters. They always came with cruel words and lashings.

Right now there was not even a light, or at least a decent one. The torch had almost completely gone out, leaving him in near-total darkness, and the shadows that grew from the corners seemed to want to devour him. _Go ahead, devour me,_ he thought, staring ahead blankly through half-lidded eyes.

Suddenly, a blue face emerged from the darkness. It was barely distinguishable from the shadows, and he wondered if he was hallucinating… _again_. His hallucinations were sometimes pleasant and he would let himself get lost in them, but other times they were dark and disturbing and left him in a cold sweat.

The face had large fangs and a scowl that never wavered. Perhaps it would eat him. Which didn't seem too bad at the moment. It came closer and closer… _Go ahead. Eat me. Come on_, he thought languidly, saying nothing, offering no resistance. He imagined the fangs tearing him apart and devouring his flesh and scattering his bones around the room. A brief twinge of amusement passed through him upon thinking how Ozai would react. The Fire Lord would hopefully explode into flames with anger on the spot. A tiny smile appeared on his lips.

He felt an ankle lifted. A surge of heat, though no pain, against his ankle. His foot felt light. His other ankle felt heat and then lightness. A large hand picked up his smaller left hand and he felt heat and then the shackle fell, but it was caught before it could clatter onto the ground. The same happened to his other hand and for the first time in who knew how long, he was not fettered at all.

The young Avatar felt himself hoisted up, and the blue-faced demon seemed to have no problem at all with his bulk, since he was already so light. He closed his eyes, moaning lowly but said nothing. He offered no resistance and the demon went up into the ceiling. Then there was total darkness and what seemed to be a maze, with endless twists and turns, before he felt fresh air hit his nose.

It was a while before he was lowered, and he felt soft grass under him. It was the first time he had felt something soft under him for a while and he opened his eyes, seeing leaves and branches silhouetted in the waxing moonlight.

Something was pressed to his lips and he inhaled a somewhat acrid scent as he felt a liquid wet his lower lip and pass over it. Whatever it was, it burned going past his tongue and down his throat. There were a few moments of silence as it settled into his stomach, and it didn't take long since he had already digested much of his dinner. He felt a strange tingle, and shivered.

"It's a stimulant." the blue-faced demon growled. It took a bit for Aang to register who it was as he became more lucid. He felt hands under his elbows as he was pulled up to a sitting position against a tree before he felt light slaps against his face, shaking him a bit out of his daze. More liquid was given to him, this time some water, and he swallowed gladly.

"You do not have much time to sit. Just a few minutes. Time is of the essence." the blue demon growled, yanking off Aang's shirt. His expression was unreadable on seeing the fading injuries on Aang's torso and arms. But he wasted no time and asked no questions, pulling a thick and comfortable red shirt over Aang's head and helping the boy to pull his arms through. His shorts were then removed and replaced with dark gray pants and stockings, and he was also given boots and gloves that had no fingers on them, presumably to hide the arrows on the back of his hands. Throughout this he was given several gentle slaps to keep him from dozing off before the stimulant took full effect. All of the clothes were a bit big, but he didn't care. They were nice and clean and soft.

The Avatar sat quietly for a few moments, feeling a tingle move down to his fingers and toes before he was pulled to his feet, and a cap was pulled over his head followed by a loose hood, effectively covering much of his head and more importantly, the tattoo. A leather bag was strapped onto him, going over one shoulder with the pouch at his waist. He wondered what was going on.

"There's gold and copper, a dagger, some food, a canteen of water, and more stimulant – only take a sip at a time and a whiff, understand – and a couple of extra pieces of clothing. Never take off your cap or hood or gloves, is that clear? Hide your tattoos at all times." the demon demanded sharply. Aang nodded. The demon was familiar. The voice was too…

"Get out of here. Now. Get as far away as you can and use the stimulant and food to keep going, stop only when you run out, you can buy more food later. I am serious. Go to Earth Kingdom. Hide on a boat or something, I don't care. Do what you have to." he said, nudging Aang with his hand. "Get out of the Fire Nation. Do not waste any time. I did not harm your…flying bison. If no one else has captured or killed him, you should be able to find him. Don't ever come back here, _ever_. I am not responsible if you are recaptured."

"And Katara?" he asked. The face retained its fanged scowl, but he noticed the black-garbed body stiffen almost imperceptibly.

"Katara is fine."

"What about you?" Aang asked, determined to get to the bottom of this, feeling a slight ringing in his ears from the drugs, "you or she could wind up getting hurt, or worse."

"Do you think I am not aware of that?" he growled. Aang blinked. Something had happened, something big, something he wished he was aware of.

"Just go, damnit. Don't argue with me!"

"Don't be so rash, please talk with me first." Aang said, trying to calm him down. The Blue Spirit's voice was filled with so much tension and irritability that it surprised the child.

"Are you saying I am stupid?" he snarled, "Just get the hell out of here, you impudent child! I took a great risk in breaking you out, damnit! What do you think the Fire Lord would do to me if he found out it was I?" the Blue Spirit said, his tone dropping to a more icy voice than Aang had ever heard from anyone before and it actually sent a small chill up his spine.

"Maybe you should take me back, I do not want you or Katara hurt."

The Blue Spirit snarled and lashed out before Aang could react, cutting him in the arm with a knife. Aang let out a soft hiss of pain. It was a shallow one, a warning cut so to speak. It probably wouldn't even leave a scar, but that was beyond the point.

"Leave before I decide to do worse. I took a huge risk in breaking you out. Don't waste it. I never want to see you again. Is that clear? Don't set foot in the Fire Nation again for the rest of your life. Unless I am dead and you know you have enough strength to defeat Ozai in the future – and I hope you do. Right now it is imperative that you hide and are safe. I mean it."

Aang knew there was no arguing with him right now, so he did a couple of stretches, ignoring his body's protests of pain as the Blue Spirit watched impatiently. His head was completely clear now and it was as if he was never in the haze.

"Go." the Spirit growled. Aang needed no further encouragement and took a deep breath before taking off in a gust of wind.

o0o0o0o

Zuko made his way back to the Palace through the secret tunnels, slipping into his room. He wearily removed his mask and black outfit before putting on a loose pair of gray hakama. It had been fortunate that one of the secret passages connected to a vent that passed right over Aang's chamber. He doubted his father was aware of that or he would have assigned the Avatar to a different room or blocked off the access to the vent. One might have asked why the vent had been there, but being a inner chamber, it needed a definite connection to fresh air or the Avatar might suffocate from a slow lack of oxygen.

When the Palace had been built, secret passageways had been built into it for contingencies, so if Sozun ever came under attack, the Royal Family could escape. These passages had not been used for a couple of centuries, for there had been no need, but Zuko had taken the time to learn them nonetheless. Only members of the Royal family knew of these passages, but none as much as Zuko, who had taken his time to explore them all during the long and lonely nights of his childhood and even now when Katara slept. And he was glad he had been so curious, otherwise there would have been no way to rescue Aang. And now a similar passage would be used for Katara.

He sighed softly as he looked at the sleeping Water Tribe girl, tucked under the thick red and black comforter. She was his only real comfort here or anywhere else. He couldn't believe she had come to mean so much to him. He remembered the first time he had seen her, when his ship had rammed into the Water Tribe village and he walked down the ramp with his soldiers, seeing the pitiful number and Katara stood there, tall and proud. He had never forgotten these eyes. He had wanted her since then, for reasons unclear. Even now they were still a but unclear, but deep inside he knew.

Yesterday he challenged his father. Tonight at sunset... he would become the Fire Lord. Or die. This was his last morning with Katara. And he didn't want to spoil it. He also had a pack for her, clothes, money, and weapons. If he died he had no desire to leave Katara at anyone's mercy.

He slipped in the bed beside her and slipped an arm around her middle, spooning up to her, feeling some reassurance from her presence, remembering her brave words.

_Katara, my Waterbender... I love you so much..._

How the hell had it happened? She was just supposed to be a plaything to him, something to relieve his sexual tensions and a desire for companionship with. When had it become something more? When had he started to value her life as much as he valued his own life if not more?

He was Prince of the Fire Nation, the heir... well, his fate would depend on the outcome of the Agni Kai. He was supposed to be hard, powerful, and impenetrable. But Katara had somehow found her way into his heart, without meaning to. Or perhaps it was him who lowered his defenses and let her in. Either way, there was no going back. Losing her terrified him. Eternity without her terrified him. He didn't want to lose her – not now, not ever. She was so very precious to him.

Katara whimpered softly as she felt the embrace around her tighten, stirring awake just a bit. She felt breath and kisses on her neck and moaned softly, responding to the warm embrace. It was in the middle of the night, but she wasn't about to complain because of what he was doing. She liked it when he held her. His inner heat always radiated into her. But he wasn't doing anything sexual, just kissing and holding her tightly. Given what was to happen, she didn't blame him.

Zuko did not speak or make any attempts to wake her. He simply held her and nuzzled her tenderly, drinking in her presence, needing her like a parched man needed a drink of water.

She did not push him away, and let him continue holding and nuzzling her. It felt right when he did and at these moments it was all too easy to shut everything else out and concentrate on just him.

"Zuko..." she whispered softly, feeling his hand slide along her tum over the thin silk of her robe.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." he whispered before placing a gentle kiss behind her ear, inhaling the scent of her hair. She said nothing, rolling over to face him, curling up against him to reassure him.

"It's okay, I don't mind." Katara said. She felt lips gently press against her own as his fingers tangled into her hair.

Katara lay there as his hands slid all over her body, as if he couldn't get enough of her touch. There was a frantic intensity to it all and she shivered as his lips traveled all over her skin after he had untied her robe and pulled it open. His hands and lips found every curve and sweet spot of her body but still he did nothing sexual at all, it was as if he was trying to memorize her with his lips and his hands and she lay there, watching him as moonlight filtered in through the windows. There was no denying how good this felt and she smiled as he nuzzled her tummy, running a finger lightly along her scar.

She gasped as he suddenly pulled her close, and he was hugging her so tightly she almost couldn't breathe.

"Katara… my Katara..." Zuko moaned, placing gentle but firm kisses along her collarbone and throat, "I never want to let you go, you know that?" he whispered into her ear.

"Then don't let go." she said simply. Zuko moaned softly in response before he held her even more tightly.

Katara knew of the Agni Kai, she knew what was going to happen. But she shut that out as she curled up in his tight embrace, feeling his lips on her cheek.

"I wish we could stay like this forever..." she said quietly.

"So do I." Zuko replied before he kissed her other cheek. She was...the only thing that comforted him. She was the anchor amidst a raging storm, she was his support. She provided the soothing balm to the turbulence of his soul.

_I love you so much, Katara, and i can't even say it..._ He felt as if there was something seriously wrong with him for not saying that he loved her, but another part of him told him that uttering such soft words was a weakness. Such a thought felt as if it belonged to his sire, who regarded such feelings as weakness.

Right now he would just savor her presence until the sun came up and it was time to rise. She let him hold and touch her, saying nothing, letting him take all the comfort he needed and wanted from her.

o0o0o0o

She was already dressed and ready to leave, but she was torn between staying and leaving. He was trying to be strong, but she could see the anguish in his eyes. He was hurting inside, she knew that, even though he refused to admit to such a weakness.

"When you win... you'll let the Avatar go right?" she asked quietly. Zuko felt half tempted to tell her what he had done, but he simply nodded.

She wanted to be out of the Fire Nation, she hated it here. She intended to get as far away from the Fire Nation as possible, and if Zuko won, see if she could find Sokka and Aang. If he lost... well, at least she would be free, although she wouldn't know what to do. The Fire Nation would just take over the Earth Kingdom and what would she do? She could pretend to be a Fire Nation citizen, since she had spent enough time being instructed in their manners, and long hours spent poring over history books of the Fire Nation while in the solitude of Zuko's apartments had taught her well.

"If I die, I want you to be safe." Zuko said, staring at her quietly. She actually felt her stomach twist at the thought of Zuko dying at the hands of his sire. and choked back a soft sob.

The Prince sighed softly and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight, stroking her hair, looking down at her. She did not look back up, and stared down at the dark red marble floor.

"And if you win?" Katara asked quietly, but deep inside she already knew the answer.

"If I win... if I win I will come and find you. Or… come back to me. _Please_." Zuko said, running a thumb along her cheek. She stiffened a bit when she heard these words but said nothing. She really did not want to come back to Fire Nation. She missed her home, she missed the freedom of traveling and going where she pleased, and she missed her Tribe. She wanted to go back to them.

"I am letting you go." he looked at her with a sad expression.

"I appreciate that." she said softly. She thought about what it would be to hide from him if he won and tried to find her. He would have an entire army at his disposal, instead of just a small ship with a handful of men.

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, thinking about what to do. If he lost, she knew what she would do. If he won... would she let him find her or keep hiding?

He sighed softly, placing a gentle hand on her own as they faced each other.

"I don't want to send you away…" he replied truthfully, squeezing her hand a little, "I cannot bear the thought of you being gone. I… I would be very lonely without you." he said, the closest thing he had ever come to admitting his true feelings for her.

She looked down, feeling a bit guilty for thinking about hiding from him and denying him something he needed.

"So you'll really hunt me down."

"I'd go to the ends of the earth for you "

"No matter how well I hid myself?" she asked, looking back up at him. He nodded and she looked away quietly, not saying anything. She shivered as she felt his lips on her flesh and whimpered softly, feeling these lips trace along the soft curve of her throat as he nuzzled her.

"I don't want to lose you." Zuko said softly, wrapping his arms around her.

"I... I should leave." Katara said quietly, feeling the intensity of his gaze and words, shifting around a bit as if he would burn her. She had to get away from the Fire Nation and its Prince before it swallowed her in their flames.

He blinked rapidly and stared down at her, a spark of hurt flashing in his eyes. She held back a gasp when she noticed it.

"I'm sorry." she whispered, touching his scar gently, tracing a finger along his eyelid before he took her hand and kissed the fingertips.

"I care about you a great deal, Katara and when I am with you, I feel at peace."

"You do... really?"

"Yes, I really do feel that way. Why do you think I've been taking care of you so well? I just want to be with you. I want you with me. You're like no other woman I've ever seen."

Katara really didn't know what to say. How could he feel like that? He was only seventeen and she was almost fifteen... More so, he was Prince and she was a poor peasant. It seemed almost impossible. But when she looked into his eyes she knew he did…

"Are you... certain?"

"With all that I am." Zuko said softly and she gently stroked his hand in the way she knew he liked.

"You will win." she said softly, trying to lend him whatever strength she could.

"I will do my best." he replied and she gave him what she hoped was an encouraging smile. He tried to smile, but found he could not do so in the face of his upcoming battle.

"I know, Zuko." she sighed softly, "I will pray to all of the spirits. Agni and Sedna too."

He stared at her quietly as she nuzzled him.

"Just...just try your best." she whispered.

"I will, I promise."

"I wish you the best of luck… and I mean that with my all." Katara whispered. He nodded wearily.

"I better get out of here then." she said and He placed a gentle kiss on her lips, checking her with a quick glance to make sure she had everything she needed.

He walked over to the wall, pushing aside a large red tapestry with the Fire Nation symbol and pressed one part of the red marble, revealing a panel that he pushed open just enough for Katara to squeeze through. Said passage went under the volcano and came out in the forest, not too far from where he had come out with the Avatar.

Katara looked over her shoulder at him one last time. He found himself pulling her in for one last searing kiss, memorizing once more the feel and taste of her before he let her go. Even upon this painful parting, he could not bring himself to say the one thing that mattered.

He closed the panel and smoothed the hanging over it before sitting on his bed. He planned to rest for most of the morning as part of his preparation. He caught himself in the mirror and stared at his reflection quietly, fingering the thick skin of his scar. This mark was nothing compared to what he would receive if he lost this Agni Kai.

May Agni help him.


	18. Agni's Kai

Hot Water

Chapter XVII – Agni's Kai

Kudos to those of you who get the reference to a famous book/series that I put into this chapter.

o0o0o0o

The story of the Agni Kai spread like wildfire through the city and by sunset, everyone knew of it. Messenger birds had even been sent to other islands within the archipelago. There were even a few people from the closest islands, recently arrived just to watch the Agni Kai.

This time, it was not to be a private occasion. The duel was to be held in the city arena, and anyone who wanted to come see, could see this momentous event. It was as if the ruler of the Fire Nation wanted everyone to see how hard and brutal he could be, and also to show everyone just how powerful he could be. He would show no mercy to his own son!

Zuko could hear the muted roar of the arena and overlapping of countless voices, like a sea. But it was not a calming sea, and the cacophony of these voices only served to make him more tense. It was as if the entire city wanted to watch someone die, as if they found the idea of the death of a royal to be idle entertainment. And someone _would_ die. That was not an option.

And he would see to it that the option was not himself. At least, he hoped so. _Don't think that way!_ He had to win, and he would win. He quickly glance4d up at the sky, sending a silent prayer to Agni.

The young Firebender slowly strode onto the platform, wearing the traditional Agni Kai vest and pants before kneeling on his side of the arena before taking a deep breath. It was like that fateful day almost three years ago, except that this time there was no surprise. And he would fight.

The Fire Lord did nothing until he stood up. He stared across the platform at his offspring, yellow and almost reptilian-like eyes boring into his son's own as if staring into his soul.

Zuko would not let his father's gaze unnerve him as it had done so many times in the past. Even when he was alone in his room or with his mother, he could still feel his sire's eyes watching him, as if the Fire Lord truly was omniscient He had often felt his father's presence during his lessons, whether he was receiving instruction from books and scrolls and tutors or from the martial arts and Bending masters. When he knew his father was watching, he pushed himself harder, not that he didn't always try hard at his lessons. But under Ozai's gaze, he went the extra mile, trying his very best to gain his father's approval. And the Fire Lord's praise had been very scant indeed. Zuko had often wondered if his father was ever proud of him, and if his efforts were worth anything.

All of these lessons he tried to pull up in his mind now, using his knowledge the best he could. He knew he was proficient at bending and the martial arts as well as thinking, but his father had far more experience and power. He let out a slow sigh. There was no room for doubt now. He had one goal, and he had to focus on that.

Zuko stood firm, his vest sliding from his shoulders. He would fight for his own honor... and the honor of the Fire Nation. His great-grandfather, grandfather, and father had all shamed the Fire Nation by believing that Fire was the best element of all. That's not how it was. The world was supposed to be in balance and that was it, each element having its own unique properties that benefited mankind. What had Katara said to him once, so long ago? That when fire consumed all, there was nothing left. That was what would happen. Fire was an important element, but so were the others. Each element needed the others to balance it out and make it strong. Fire could not survive without the other elements to temper and feed it, so it could continue burning without actually consuming everything else and eventually burning itself out.

The Fire Lord simply regarded him calmly, but Zuko could feel the power emanating from the older man's sinuous, muscled form, and Zuko envisioned a ruby-mamba snake, seemingly harmless if left alone, but coiled and ready to strike with its excruciatingly deadly venom. And these predatory yellow eyes that Ozai had only added to the effect, especially since the mambas had amber eyes. He had seen the paintings of the progenitor of the current 'legacy', and Sozin had these very same eyes, filled with fierceness and power.

The Prince placed his feet firmly on the platform, tossing aside his vest and staring across the platform at his opponent, his lord, his sire.

He saw nothing else as he studied the Fire Lord. He did not see the throngs of the audience. Not the nobles who were sitting near the front in luxury seats, being served wine or fire-whisky by their personal servants, or the commoners further up the rungs, cheering wildly for the Agni Kai to start as they saw the Lord and Prince slowly approach each other. He did not see the scarlet banners and hangings flutter in a gentle breeze, boldly displaying the Fire Nation emblem in black. He did not see the clear and cloudless sky that hung over the arena, or feel the smooth stone under his feet.

Through a vision that was both blurred and clear he saw Ozai approach his position, and swallowed back his fear. He could not be afraid, for it would cloud his thoughts and reactions. _Fear is the mind-killer..._

The arena was silent as Ozai took his position and the elder Firebender smirked at his son cruelly.

"When I am done with you… I will take your little barbarian and have my pleasure with her. When I bore of her, I will watch as she is used by the Court." he said in a hiss, intended only for Zuko's ears.

Zuko raised his arm and sent forth a fireball, which his father dodged with surprising speed. Before the Prince knew what had happened, pain shot from his right shoulder and he registered that Ozai was now close, _so close..._

He staggered back, lashing out with his arm and sending out a wide arc of fire that would – hopefully – buy him a moment or two to recover and assess the situation.

This was not the proper way to start an Agni Kai! His father had dishonored himself even before he started by throwing in such an insult. Insults were to be exchanged outside of the Agni Kai, for the fight itself was a solemn occasion, with certain rules to follow. Agni Kais were different from street brawls or tavern-room fights, and for a good reason. Outcomes of Agni Kais could not be disputed, and were only called for when one of the contenders – or both of them – had a serious issue.

And he had several… the extermination of the people that Katara came from, his own sanity and honor, and the fate of the Fire Nation itself and the balance of the world.

There was never a more important Agni Kai. The fate of the world hung onto the outcome of this duel, and even though the Avatar was now free, Ozai would no doubt hunt him down once he discovered the boy was free, which would be very soon. Tonight, no doubt, a guard would come in and check on the Avatar to make sure he had eaten and was alive, and would see the child gone. He hoped the boy had gotten as far away as he could.

Ozai suddenly moved forward again, and Zuko just barely stepped aside in time, throwing a fireball at his father's back. He would not have considered this move in an Agni Kai a long time ago, but now circumstances depended on it. A fireball narrowly missed his face before he felt a blow to his stomach, almost knocking him over. He took a few reeling steps backwards and righted himself, as the Fire Lord unleashed a torrent of fire that Zuko just barely defended, forcing him to take a few steps back as he blocked each burst of fire. It would not be easy defeating his sire, but he had to.

He took an alert yet defensive stance, bracing himself for another attack as his mind raced, working on the best choice of an offensive as his father watched him coldly, taking a similar stance. Zuko did not blink, and neither did the Fire Lord.

His father smiled even more coldly before he lunged towards him, delivering a painful blow to Zuko's solar plexus that sent white-hot stars of pain exploding behind his eyes. For a moment, he glimpsed darkness approaching him again before he felt another blow, this one to the side of his neck.

"You will learn your place before you die." Ozai said coldly, about to strike Zuko's neck from the other side. The white flash of pain became a red-hot flash of anger and the Prince lashed out, sending put a ball of fire that sent his father away from him forcefully, almost toppling the older man. But Ozai remained on his feet and spun around quickly, forming a stream of fire that grew and grew until it resembled a large snake before he directed it towards Zuko.

The Prince didn't hear the loud roar from the audience. He only felt heat and pain when the snake constricted around him, and through the haze, he heard his father.

"Did you think for a moment that you could defeat me?" Ozai asked. All Zuko could do was groan as the snake constricted around him even more, as he smelled burning flesh…

"You will pay for your defiance." his father added coldly as he made the serpent crush him slowly. _Crack_ went one rib then another, it was as if the fire had a actual physical form and Zuko wondered how it was even possible. _It could not end like this!_

The fire inside of his own body reacted to the snake and his inner Firebending sparked up, absorbing the heat from his father's fire and metabolizing it into his own, so he could use it... if he could. He felt the fire sear at his flesh and he could not even cry out in pain. His sire was indeed very powerful… he could actually _feel_ the power roll off Ozai in waves.

It was no wonder that his lineage was the one ruling the nation. He had never seen anyone Firebend like this. His eyes stared at the rippling flame around him for a moment before his vision blurred.

_Agni, help me._

He was no longer in the arena. He was shooting up into the sky, up, up, _up_… He felt both serene and elated, and then he saw it, golden light. There were no words to describe it. It was a grand temple, a palace, a sanctuary, yet it was… open, with no walls or doors. It was as if all the rules of the corporeal world were suspended. Zuko wasn't sure how such a beautiful temple could also be so open, and the more he tried to think on it, the more confused he felt.

Flashes of red and gold surrounded him before he saw the sinuous body of a dragon with a familiar face. The face that was mounted on the wall in his meditation room on the ship and in his royal apartment, the visage that was repeated a thousand – ten thousand, a hundred thousand – times through the Palace, temples, and grounds, and in every Fire Nation household.

_Agni? _He stared up into the face he had seen so many times during meditation, the face that was boldly displayed on that wall and everywhere in the Fire Nation.

_Am…I dead?_

**No.**

_Why am I here…_

**To restore the balance.**

"I am the living incarnation of Agni! It is our destiny to rule the world!" Ozai's voice screamed from somewhere far away, sounding like an echo. Surrounding that were the screams and cheers of the spectators.

**He deludes himself. As have the others. This was never supposed to happen. Sozin was supposed to protect the Fire Nation against the abuse from the old Earth Kingdom lords, and he did just that. But he went beyond that, perverting the power of the comet and his lineage.**

_Protect against the Earth Kingdom…what?_

Flashes appeared in his mind, of an age forgotten. Before him as clear as if he was there, he envisioned the might of the Earth Kingdom, saw it encroach upon Fire Nation lands under the rule of a powerful King who sought to extort and subjugate the Fire Islands, and how the people cried out to Agni for help. And then the comet came, and Sozin fought them back…

And did more than that. He was like the other Fire Lords, strong, powerful, ambitious. And… something else. He sent out his army to get his revenge on the Earth Kingdom and more. Zuko gasped softly as he saw a image of a temple, a temple he had seen once before, only it had been devoid of living souls...

Bodies everywhere. Bald with blue tattoos and warm-hued robes… and scattered among them, the red and black armor of his own Nation. But not one body stirred. He saw flashes of the other Air Temples, where similar scenes of massacre met his eyes.

_Why?_

**He desired power and fame. He desired immortality.**

More flashes of the past. Metal ships pushing past ice floes. Screams in the air, blood in the water and splattered across the snow, vivid hues of scarlet against white. Men and children butchered while soldiers in red pinned down women and girls and violated them, dead seals and penguins floating in the water, the smell of charred flesh…

A shadowy image, surrounded by fire, with the very same eyes as his own father, laughing insanely as everything around him burned and the comet roared overhead. He was aged, but the comet had lent him a vitality that had extended his life and renewed much of the strength that age had sapped from him. Countless soldiers marched in all directions of the globe, all too eager to follow the orders of the shadowy figure.

**Restore the honor of the Fire Nation. Make it worthy of my protection. Prove yourself worthy of my blood.**

_Your blood?_

Another flash, the most startling one of all. A man and a woman, in a passionate embrace, both clearly of Fire, with pale skin and ebony hair. There was something familiar about the man. He resembled the paintings of the ancestors kept in the sacred Temple of Memory, all of the previous Fire Lords, and Zuko saw a flash of scales. The man was not human. He was…

Zuko gasped softly and looked down at his hands.

_The blood of Agni flows through my veins._

**Prove yourself, Zuko. Restore the balance. And you will be the true immortal, not Sozin. Your name will be passed down through the ages, and you will never be forgotten, not even after you leave the physical realm. Tales of your deeds will be passed down through eternity, and you will have what Sozin failed to achieve.**

_How?_

**The fire comes from within. You have trained hard. I have watched you, Zuko. Clear your mind of all and remember.**

He felt himself falling, feeling a soft warmth in his veins.

"Agni, help him. Sedna, help him. All of you, help him_, please…_" he hard a soft voice. he longed to reach for it. It came from far away. _Katara…_

Searing pain hit him again, and he groaned softly.

"Pitiful traitor!" Ozai sneered as the fire-snake enveloped him completely.

**Restore the honor of the Fire Nation and your bloodline.**

He took a deep breath, ignoring the screaming pain in his lungs, and let his mind clear of everything. He saw the images, he saw the history, and he saw the potential of both outcomes. He was the one who saw the fine line between the potential and the actual, and his inner fire raged within. He could feel the power and the dark perversion coming from his father.

It all exploded within his head in a flash of gestalten clarity before his body absorbed the fire and turned it back, the heat now healing flesh rather than damaging it. The inner fire continued raging, and all of his nerves were ablaze. The pain subsided, and out of his peripheral vision, he saw his blisters and burns heal as his own fire coursed across his skin, leaving behind new skin. Just like the forests ravaged by fire, but the trees would grow back as good as new. That was the balance of things. Fire helped to renew things and heal them when used the right way.

He concentrated on the fire that raged around him and aimed it at his sire's head even as he stared at Ozai's chest, concentrating on the fire and power that raged within, narrowing his eyes, imagining a spark that would ignite a bonfire.

He felt both fire and spark make contact, and Ozai screamed as his head went on fire. Scorch marks appeared all around his torso before the skin started burning as well.

The flames engulfed Ozai's head, taking the sight from his eyes and the air from his breath. The fire raged on, hotter and hotter as his father let out a dying scream, drawing out what was left of his last breath. Some of the fire actually sparked and shot into the audience, drawing out startled yells and almost starting a stampede, but fortunately, these people knew how to deal with fire. After a few moments, there were no more flying bits of flame, although one of the banners did go ablaze.

The burning form of the dying Fire Lord staggered forward, its arms and legs jerking erratically before falling to its knees and then to its chest, still ablaze as it stilled and lay there motionless. It gave out a few sudden, violent twitches, fingers curled into claws that groped at the stone before going limp.

Zuko stood there, unable to move at all. He was deaf to the roar of the audience and blind to the spectacle of the dead Fire Lord.

He did not know how long he was standing there. He acknowledged nobody and nothing. After what seemed like eternity but was in fact only a couple of minutes to everyone else, he lifted his feet and turned his back to the flaming corpse, stepping off the platform.

No one had ever seen anyone die like that and Zuko would never tell anyone how he did it.

He saw faces press around him, heard voices jabbering his name.

Get the hell away from me!

He looked around, seeing faces everywhere, a veritable churning sea of them. Dear Agni, he just wanted to be alone. He wanted to curl up and close his eyes and just... get away from it all, even if for just a moment.

"Give him space, give him space. Back off." Zuko blinked slowly as he heard his uncle's voice, and saw a hand wave away these faces. His voice was calm but authoritative.

Zuko was dimly aware of several guards taking up around him, keeping away the people, and he silently reminded himself to reward them later. The people still followed him even as his guards helped him into a waiting sedan,. He heard their voices through the thick red curtain.

He looked around in the small and empty space of the sedan, his skin now a dark shade of red from the light filtering in through the cloth. He out a soft sigh, slowing his pounding heart. His hand traveled to his face, finding the scar still there. The rest of his body had healed… but his scar remained. _Why?_ He sat there in the darkness as the sedan moved forward, pulled by a Komodo rhino as the guards surrounded the vehicle, idly stroking the thick and smooth skin around his left eye.

He was thankful to be away from the voices, but the person that he needed and wanted most was not here with him.


	19. Aftermath

Hot Water Chapter XVIII – Aftermath

o0o0o0o

_It's over_, Iroh mused as he stared at his brother's charred body. He watched as his nephew walked off the platform before pushing his way through the crowds, shooing away the people that pressed in to his nephew. He was relieved when guards came forward to help him form a perimeter around the new Fire Lord.

He felt bad for Zuko. Having to kill one's father – however evil they were – was not something a good person would take joy in, and he knew his nephew felt hurt by having done so.

Fire Lord Azulon had died a mysterious death, and Iroh had suspected that his younger brother was responsible for it in one way or another. Yes, Azulon had seemed to die a peaceful death in his sleep, but the Dragon of the West had never been able to shake the feeling that foul play had been involved. Of course, he couldn't voice his suspicions or accuse his brother, especially when Ozai was now Fire Lord. It'd been over ten years ago, and he had carried that suspicion all these years. Of course, now Ozai was dead. Agni would punish him for his sins.

Out of the corner of his sight, he saw attendants rush to the body of the former Fire Lord, quickly dousing the flame so the body could be properly interred later. As if that really mattered now, he mused darkly.

He followed the guards to the Palace, keeping an eye on his the Fire Lord's sedan and the other guards that surrounded it. The gates opened just wide enough to admit the small party. He would attend to Zuko's most immediate needs and listen to any decisions he wanted to make right away regarding the Fire Nation or his father's body. He noticed a few other things, but kept them to himself as he made sure his nephew was well. The advisers were shooting him somewhat unpleasant looks. They knew that Ozai did not respect his elder brother, and Iroh was not really part of the court, not since he had returned to Sozun. So to them, he did not belong here, and was basically persona non grata – but Ozai was no longer here, was he? Fortunately, Lieutenant Ji acted as if the older man belonged there, and even seemed to welcome his presence. Iroh was grateful for that.

The grand hall was empty, and Zuko wandered over to the throne wearily, a robe hastily thrown onto his shoulders. He glared down at everyone. There were almost thirty people here, and nearly twenty of them were guards.

Iroh climbed up the steps to the throne. One of the advisers stepped forward to object, but Ji held a hand out, letting the elder have a moment with his nephew. It looked as if the new Fire Lord had aged ten years, and the retired general vowed to himself that he would do whatever he could to be of aid to his nephew. He himself would have been Fire Lord once, and he had not forgotten his lessons. If Zuko asked it of him, Iroh would stay.

"I am proud of you." he said simply, placing his hand on Zuko's shoulder, speaking in a quiet tone as Ji kept everyone else at a distance.

"Why don't you go have some supper and take a relaxing bath. You deserve it. At least when you're done with the advisers, but I can make sure it's over quickly. You need to decide on how long the Court will remain closed, I advise three days. I can help you decide what to do with Ozai's body and any other immediate decisions that you feel are important…" His paternal tone brooked no argument.

"At this point I don't know what I deserve, Uncle." Zuko said, looking down.

"I know this is hard for you to feel and process. Just hold a quick meeting with the advisers. Ji and the guards will remain at your side, and so will I. Then go have dinner and a bath. You can tackle the hard things later." he said, squeezing Zuko's shoulder. The young Firebender's skin was very warm, and Iroh thought about what he had seen in the arena. It was something wholly different and he was very curious as to what had happened, but he would ask later. His curiosity was the least important thing right now. But there was one thing he had noticed. Katara, she had been conspicuously absent, and he wondered if Ozai had barred her… and if that coincided with a hooded figure he had seen in the audience.

"Zuko…where's Katara?"

"Let her go." Zuko muttered darkly.

"Let her go?" Iroh repeated.

"Didn't want my father to hurt her if…" Zuko trailed off, looking down. Iroh nodded.

"So she's out of the Palace?" Iroh asked. His nephew nodded. Before he could say anything else, one of the guards burst into the throne room and quickly fell to his knees, clearly surprised and alarmed.

"Forgive me my lord, but I bear urgent news!"

"Speak." Zuko said in an almost dismissive tone of voice.

"The Avatar is gone. We have searched every bit of his cell and…"

"Enough." Zuko said with a wave of his hand. The advisers stared at him curiously. The guard remained on his knees, obviously afraid of punishment. He had probably been coerced by the other guards or drawn an unlucky straw to be the messenger.

"The Avatar has escaped?" an older man that the new Fire Lord recognized as a head adviser exclaimed. He had a burning dislike of Kougyo, and saw the man as a bloodthirsty boot-licker. But the new ruler tolerated his presence… for now.

"Yes." the guard replied meekly. Kougyo seemed about to say something else when Zuko's voice snapped across their heads.

"I said _enough!_" Zuko snapped, rising to his feet and glaring down at the small crowd.

"But the Avatar…" Kougyo said, taking a step forward. Iroh backed away as he saw Zuko's temper flare up, and the Fire Lord yelled before unleashing a ball of fire right over the old man's head.

"Did you not hear me!" Zuko demanded angrily, his eyes glinting fiercely. Kougyo gulped and stepped back. The guard who had delivered the news remained prostrate on the floor. No one dared raise another word about the Avatar, and waited for Zuko to come to his decision.

The Fire Lord took a cleansing breath, bringing his temper under check before he made his decision. The Avatar meant nothing to him. His father was dead. He was Fire Lord.

_Fire Lord Zuko._

"I don't care about the damned Avatar." Zuko snarled, "He means nothing to me and the Fire Nation. My father was wrong in trying to disrupt the balance. The Avatar is to be captured and brought to me – _alive!_ – only if he actively fights against us. _Is that clear!_"

No one dared to disagree.

"Good." Zuko muttered as he sat in the throne again, but the scowl did not leave his face. Iroh decided it best to take his leave and see if his hunch proved to be true. Ji was loyal to Zuko and would keep an eye on him.

"May I take my leave?" Iroh asked quietly, touching his nephew's shoulder again, "There's something urgent I need to attend to, but I will be back." he added with a gentle squeeze.

"What? Oh. Yes." Zuko said distantly with a wave of his hand and the elder left.

o0o0o0o

Iroh knew what Zuko needed. If anything, he knew his nephew better than Ozai ever had. As he strode through the hall, he ordered several guards to fall in behind them and gathered several more outside.

"We are looking for lady Katara." Iroh said simply. The guards looked at him with surprise and disbelief.

"She may be near the docks, looking for a ship to board, or somewhere along that path. Detain her but do _not_ harm her. That is important. Do not hurt her in any way or frighten her, is that clear?" he asked. Once the soldiers made it clear that they understood him, he nodded and they exited the volcano and dispersed from there, with two remaining with him. The guards were quick and efficient, and he had full confidence that they would be able to locate Katara. No ships were leaving tonight due to the fact that a Fire Lord had just died, so if the girl intended to leave, she would simply have to wait.

o0o0o0o

The result of the Agni Kai had stunned her. Of course, she had been hoping that Zuko would win, but the way Ozai had died… she could honestly say that she never would have thought that Firebending could be used in such a way. She had never imagined that Zuko had ever been capable of… so much power.

And she felt afraid of him. What if she did something one day to displease him? In what ways would Zuko be changed by his tenure as Fire Lord? Would he set her on fire too? He had already burned her once. And on top of that, she did not belong here. This was the very heart of Fire Nation, and all she wanted to do was go back to the South Pole, where everything was familiar and safe. Gran-Gran would no doubt be happy. But what of Sokka and Aang? She should try to track them down. And Bato and her father as well. For the first time in several months, she was now free. Free to go where she wanted, free to do as she pleased. At least until Zuko found her again…

She didn't want to go back to the Palace and ask him. She was afraid of the answer, and afraid of being captive again. She wasn't going to give up the freedom that had been an unexpected boon.

The ships were not leaving, so she had to wait. Even though Fire Nation climate was warm especially around summer, the night had a bit of a chill to it, and she felt a sudden urge for tea. She was not hungry, but she wanted something warm in her stomach, and Iroh had taught her how to appreciate tea. She missed the days on the ship when the older man was a regular fixture in her and Zuko's lives. As she turned around, she saw several establishments near the docks, and tried to determine which one would be her best bet. To her left, where the dockyards were plentiful, the taverns looked more seedy, serving a mainly sailor and soldier clientele. However, to her other side, where a strip of beach was kept bare, sat more genteel establishments and what appeared to be a respectful-enough looking building, with mostly civilians – male and female – going in and out.

Before entering the tea-house, she took one last look out at the dockyards and the ships, trying to think of the best way to board one of them. With her blue eyes, she could not simply pass for a Fire Nation civilian, and she wanted a quick route to the Earth Kingdom where she would be safe. She knew she could count on Bumi for a place to stay if she needed. The best she could do was keep her cloak drawn over her head, obscuring the upper half of her face, and pray that no one would become too curious or notice the shade of her eyes. She was done being the Azure Concubine, and hoped no one would identify her as such.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and almost spun around to attack, but she took a deep breath and calmed down. There was no use in making a scene. Her situation was precarious enough as it is, being a Water Tribe woman in Sozun. Her bending abilities had been kept a secret, and she intended to keep it that way. Just as she was about to turn around, the man spoke.

"We found her." she heard a gruff voice say. Panic overcame her, and she started to run for it, but that hand grabbed her arm and she was about to scream when another hand went over her mouth.

"No, we're not here to harm you. Please calm down. Let her go." another voice said. Katara recognized it as Iroh. The hands slipped away and the Waterbender turned around slowly, seeing the elder with two tall guards. She took several steps back from them, eying them warily.

"Come eat with me?" Iroh offered, but Katara didn't answer. She eyed the guards warily and took another step back.

"There's no need to be afraid, Katara. We wish you no harm. You have my word on that. I simply want to eat with you and share a few words with you."

Katara considered his words. What would the older man want to talk about? As if Iroh read her mind, he looked right at her, his gaze knowing as he studied her.

"He needs you." Iroh said quietly, his arms folded together neatly under his red silk sleeves.

"No." Katara said softly, shaking her head. With a subtle gesture, Iroh motioned the guards forward. Before the Waterbender could flee, the guards had her by her arms, firmly but gently. She started to twist and wiggle against them, her eyes wide with fear.

"Please." Katara begged, but Iroh approached her with a gentle smile.

"Don't be afraid. We'll share dinner and words." He turned around, with the guards following him to the tavern. Upon the elder's request they got a table in a quiet corner, and Katara was sat down by the guards before they stood in front of the table, keeping others away.

The building was filled with talk of the Agni Kai, but sheshut it out. She just wanted to be out of here and away from the Fire Nation, and Iroh sensed her discomfort. She kept on her hood and refused to look at anyone.

"You need to go back to him."

"I can't." she said quietly, looking away. Iroh sighed and shook his head. She was a lot like his nephew in some ways.

"If it's about the Avatar…Aang has escaped his cell." he said slyly. Katara held back a gasp of shock. _How did that happen?_

"My place is with my family." Katara insisted. Iroh shook his head.

"But what about with Zuko? Who cares about you so much so he was willing to fight to protect your village?" he asked. Katara slowly raised her head, staring at him in disbelief.

"Excuse me? I know that Zuko did not agree with his father about exterminating people but…"

"Zuko told me what happened before the Agni Kai. He told me that your father had placed a specific order to go out and destroy your village…"

"Oh." Katara said quietly as it sunk in as she leaned back in her chair, saying nothing else.

"You do know he cares about you." Iroh said calmly. He was always so calm, Katara had never seen him snap into a rage like Zuko had done.

"I was his concubine. I did nothing more than warm his bed." Katara said with a small shrug.

"You know you were more than that to him, and still are." Iroh shot back calmly. That tone seemed to make it more serious than if he was talking loudly or yelling at her. He waived a waitress over and placed an order for his own meal before turning to Katara.

"Are you hungry? It's on me, and you can have anything you want." he said cheerfully. Katara simply shook her head.

"I'm not hungry. All I need is tea."

"Are you sure?" Iroh asked with concern. She looked thin and a little weak to him. It was something he had noticed for a while, at each banquet or gala Ozai had held, Katara seemed to be losing weight.

"I'm not hungry." Katara repeated stubbornly. Iroh decided not to press the matter. He did not want to alienate her, and doubtless Zuko would make her eat. If he had no success, then both of them would make sure she did not starve herself. But that was something to worry about later.

"Very well then. Ginseng tea for both of us." Iroh said and the woman left. He turned back to Katara, studying her calmly. "Granted, it won't be as good as the tea I made for us on the ship, but I hear this place has a decent enough reputation." he said cheerfully, trying to make her smile.

"This is Fire Nation. I do not belong here."

"But you are completely safe here." Iroh insisted, leaning in when she shook her head in denial, "Ozai is dead and Zuko will not let anyone hurt you."

"I've seen how the nobles looked at me whenever I came out with Zuko."

"You are safe here now, the nobles would not dare risk coming after the new Fire Lord's woman. Things have changed."

"Are you completely sure of that? You don't know what it was like, being me here." Katara shot back. Iroh hesitated for a moment as he heard the young Waterbender's acid tone, and let out a soft sigh.

"I need to find Aang and my family." she insisted, "I belong with them. We've been traveling together and Aang needs us."

"Zuko has no interest in the Avatar. Aang is safe." he said, trying to reassure the girl. He would drag Katara back if he had to, but he only wanted to do that as a last resort, "Are you planning to stay with them forever? Always wandering the world?" Iroh asked, trying to lighten up the mood with a little teasing. Katara remained silent. All right, so maybe humor wasn't the best tactic…

"And what of the Prince… er, Fire Lord? Would you break his heart simply because you are afraid of being here?" Iroh pressed on. He saw the cloaked form stiffen slightly. Ahh, so that was it.

Katara wished that Iroh would simply let her go. She considered trying to bolt past the guards, but right now she was a little dizzy and didn't know how long she could run. She was scared of being in Sozun. She detested it here and detested being in the Palace, but doubtless he knew. She hated everything… the galas, the rules, the nobles, especially Ozai himself. All she wanted to do was lead a normal life and feel safe and happy… Was that so much to ask for?

Katara opened her mouth, but quickly closed it. How long would she be able to live a normal life anyway, if the Fire Lord would look for her? He had an entire army, even a Nation at his disposal. What if a reward was given for her capture? She dreaded that thought and stared off at a wall, barely noticing when the woman returned with the food, setting down a plain tea set and a covered platter with faint wisps of savory-smelling steam rising from the edges.. The elder poured out tea for them both and took a few bites out of his dish before he spoke again.

"I know my nephew cares very deeply for you." he stated simply.

"How can that be? I mean, sure we shared a bed… but he's a Prince, er…Lord now, and all I am is a Water Tribe peasant."

"I've seen the way he looks at you. No words are needed." Iroh replied with a tone that made it clear that he was absolutely certain about what he had just said. She started to shake her head. Zuko didn't exactly have an excellent repertoire of facial expressions. He rarely broke away from a smirk or a blank expression, much less smiled. She had labels for the few facial expressions he had. There was the Smirk. The Scowl. The Blank Face. And the Cold Face. Infact she could actually count the times she had ever seen him smile on just her hands. And he certainly didn't hug her or kiss her or show the usual affection that a man would show a woman anywhere in public, especially not in front of Ozai. He acted more like a master or someone who barely knew her, and even though she knew he was not doing it to be cruel, she still felt the distance.

"You can't be serious." Katara said, trying not to scoff at the older man. Iroh had never seen them in their intimate moments!

"I know he seems cold and distant, but I can tell. And he takes good care of you. Has he not provided for you? Did he not tend to you when you were injured?" Iroh pointed out. Katara had to concede to these points, and she looked down at her tea, taking a sip before she spoke again.

"Never in my whole life did I... ever think that I would come so close to him, of all people. Why did this happen to me? It almost feels like some kind of weird dram, the Avatar, Zuko, everything... How did it happen? Zuko and me? How the hell did it happen?" she demanded quietly.

"Perhaps a better question is how could it have not." Iroh said as he picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth, chewing quietly before swallowing and continuing, "Your friend longer has to worry about being hunted, the balance will be restored and you? You gave my nephew hope and when the time came, that hope expanded on his moral compass. You taught him things that I could not."

"I'm glad for Zuko, I really am. I know that you and him are better than Ozai."

"And you of course deserve something better too, Katara."

"Me? I'm just glad to know that the Fire Nation is under better management."

"Stay and help him."

"Me help? Certainly you jest. I'm not noble born. I can't do it. I'm a poor match for the Fire Lord. Certainly you would want to see Zuko with someone better for him? Someone of noble blood?"

"Simply because one is not a noble-born does not mean they cannot do this or that. And as for a match? I don't care about the purity of the elements like Sozin or my brother did. Zuko does not need a pampered noblewoman. He needs what is good for him, a suitable match. I can't think of anyone better for him than you. You balance him out and give him stability, and I believe that you can give him good advice. I will not let my nephew lose you." he replied with a certain edge in his voice that he rarely used, and Katara saw that he was very serious. Of course, she knew that the old Firebender liked her, but she hadn't known quite what Iroh thought of her relationship with his nephew. It was one thing to ignore the fact that his nephew had a woman captive on the ship, but did the Dragon of the West truly want her here, at his nephew's side, as a companion to the mighty Fire Lord?

"It's...." she sighed softly as she let the heat from the cup warm her cold fingers, "It's just all so different to me. The Fire Nation is so different. I'm a fish out of water, in the truest sense of the word." she said. He simply chuckled softly, shaking his head.

"Nonsense, I doubt you could ever be truly out of water." he said as he took another bite, "Are you sure you do not want to eat? The roast duck is rather good." he asked. She shook her head. He accepted her response and she sighed softly before taking another sip.

"Look at me. I'm a single, lone Water Tribe woman right in the capitol of the Fire Nation itself. I think that's as much out of water as anyone can possibly go. If Ozai knew I was able to bend, I might be dead already. And if the nobles knew..." she muttered. Iroh's silence confirmed what she said.

"Ozai is dead, and Zuko will keep you safe. So will I. And, Katara? Water is all around us dear child. It's an element after all, and no place not even the most arid desert is lacking of it. In time, you can be open about who you are."

Katara could not help but smile a little. For a retired general and Prince of the Fire Nation, he really was a wonderful man, one that she never had any reason to be afraid of. He had always been kind and warm to her. And he was s a lot smarter than most, especially Ozai himself, gave him credit for.

"Please, come with me. Zuko has never needed anyone so much as he needed you. And I know he would really appreciate your company tonight."

"He does not need me." Katara said, trying to disconnect herself from Iroh and his kind words, finding her resolve slipping by the moment.

"He does…and warming his bed is the last on his list of the reasons he needs you." Iroh said quietly, staring at her with a serious expression, "I am afraid of what will happen to him if he does not have you."

"I hope Zuko's happy now that he has his home and throne." Katara replied, deliberately avoiding a response to his statement.

"I know he would be happy if you were with him."

"I..." she said softly, halting a little, "This is not my home."

"Why not give it a chance before saying that?" Iroh asked patiently. He seemed to have an answer to everything…

"This is the Fire Nation. Zuko's the Fire Lord. I..." she said, unable to finish, shaking her head.

"Zuko is different from the Fire Lords that came before him."

Katara tore her gaze away from him and closed her eyes.

"Are you really so afraid of him, Katara?" she heard his voice penetrate through the darkness. She opened her eyes, making eye contact with him again.

"Sometimes." she admitted meekly, remembering the scar on her breast.

"I know he can be intimidating at times. But he needs you. And if you were gone, you will be missing him as well. Don't deny it." he said, sitting back, with a knowing expression. Damn, he really knew a lot. She remained silent for a few moments before letting out a slow sigh.

"Is…Zuko okay?" she asked. He gave out a quiet sigh.

"The Agni Kai...was a certain kind of ordeal for him. You know how Zuko is and how hard it must have been for him. He won't just get over it. He has a lot to deal with right now, and he needs someone to help him."

"But...what if he becomes like his father?" Katara asked. She was unprepared for the expression that snapped across Iroh's face. His expression was hard and his eyes glinted with indignation.

"Ozai never cared about anyone. Zuko does." Iroh said, his expression softening a little, "My nephew cares deeply for you, and for me and all those around him who have earned his respect. This is why I am speaking with you, he needs you, Katara. He needs someone who cares deeply for him, someone he cares for more than just as a friend. I am his uncle and mentor, but there are certain things I cannot do for him. I cannot think of anyone better for him then you."

Katara closed her eyes, thinking about all the tender moments she and the Fire Lord had shared. She blinked as that thought had crossed her head. Already she was thinking of Zuko as Fire Lord. It felt a little weird.

"He loves you. We both know that even though he doesn't say it, and I know it would be a disservice to both him and to you if you left."

"Fine." Katara said quietly, knowing there was no way out of this. She knew she did not have the strength to escape.

"Is that all you have to say?" Iroh asked, raising his eyebrow. Katara shrugged and sipped at her tea.

"At least we won't have to drag you back." Iroh said, making another attempt at humor, which the young Waterbender didn't respond well to. She glared at him with hostility.

"Katara, please don't do this. Don't be cold to him. Zuko cares about you. You don't have to be afraid. He will protect you and now that Ozai is no longer around you don't have to worry about your life. Your brother and the Avatar are safe."

"I know."

"Then what is wrong?"

She remained silent, glaring away. The two of them sat together in silence for a few moments, finishing off their tea. It helped to warm her hands and stomach and helped to alleviate some of her queasiness. She ignored his looks of concern.

Iroh rose from his stool and offered her his hand, which she took hesitantly. She felt a gentle squeeze and looked at Iroh who offered her a reassuring smile.

"You all right?"

She remained silent, and he sighed softly.

"Now you do not have to hide. You can enjoy it here." he said, smiling encouragingly at the girl. Katara nodded stiffly as they walked up the long, slightly winding street back to the Palace, taking in the sights as they were flanked by the guards. Many places were closed, because of the Fire Lord's death and because it was now very late at night.

They were admitted into the Palace and Katara could not help but shiver as she saw the gold and red marble all around her. There were guards around, as well as a couple of servants, but otherwise the Palace was quiet. The halls were only half-illuminated and there were shadows in every corner.

Iroh came to the doors that led to the private levels – and highest – levels of the Palace.

"Where is the Fire Lord?" he asked as the guards looked at him.

"Most likely in the master suite." one of them responded. Iroh thanked him before leading Katara up the stairs. They passed the floor that contained Zuko's apartments and the concubine's wing, and went to a level she had never been before. Two guards stood at the stairs that led up there, and she and Iroh climbed up the steps to a grand hall. It was littered with all sorts of things, and she blinked as she stared at the mess. Paintings, tapestries, furniture, and even a disassembled bed up against the wall. They had been left there because Zuko didn't want to be disturbed by the sounds of moving at this moment.

"Hm." Iroh said softly as he took a closer look at the things. He recognized them as belonging to his brother, and nodded before turning to Katara.

"The old Fire Lord's possessions. Some will be destroyed while others will be used for other purposes." he explained, gesturing to them. Katara nodded as her head slowly turned to see more things, and she gasped when she saw a large, gold-framed painting of the Fire Lord in full regalia. It had several large tears in it, as if someone had been kicking at it. Iroh eyed the painting but said nothing.

Katara stared at the doors that led to the royal suite. The wood was done with black lacquer, and there was gold metalwork everywhere. Evidently these doors were well built and made to withstand considerable assault. In the gold-work she recognized the form of Agni, who she had seen many times. Zuko had told her that it was believed that the Fire Lord were incarnations of Agni. Katara had no idea just how close to the truth that was.

She felt Iroh's hand on her shoulder and they approached the door.

o0o0o0o

Zuko was sitting on a plush chair, simply staring off blankly as a fire burned in the fireplace, thinking about the Agni Kai and what he had just done. He had killed his father, and he was now the Fire Lord. His sire had...been a monster, but he was still the man who had fathered and raised him. He had provided for his son, gave him the best lessons, the best clothes, the best tutors... yet he had never been really a parent. He had never given Zuko a loving touch or any soft words of encouragement and it had been at these times that he had missed his mother the most.

He wondered if his mother would be proud of him right now. He felt relief, but he also felt sad. No child should ever have to kill its sire...

He looked around quietly. The royal suite was a mess. He refused to sleep with any of his sire's things in these chambers, so he had the servants empty it out for him, and right now some of his things were in here, but only the necessities. His mattress was in the place where Ozai's bed had once been. He didn't care if it was just a mattress. His bed could be set up later. He wanted the suite cleaned out of the former Fire Lord's things, purge these rooms of his sire. He just wanted a clean start.

The new Fire Lord heard the door open, but did not look up. It was probably one of these sycophantic advisers... and they had no right to be up here, even. He had had enough of them in the meeting. How dare they…

"Go away before I have you arrested." Zuko snapped without even looking up.

"Zuko." he heard his uncle say softly. He relaxed just a bit, but he did not look up.

"Are you just going to sit there in the dark all night?" Iroh asked quietly.

"I killed my father." Zuko stated simply.

"I know you did, nephew. And I can only imagine how difficult it must be. But please, there is no reason to punish yourself, or shut me out. I am here for you." he said. Katara stood behind him silently.

"Right now I wish to be alone." Zuko stated sullenly. He had no desire for anyone's company except the one who was lost to him. But Katara was not there. When he had stepped off the podium after killing his father his uncle, his guards, his father's advisers, they surrounded him. But the person he had needed most was not there and he had hated it. What he needed most was her touch, her voice, her gaze... Only she could soothe him.

Katara stared at Zuko's silhouette, seeing flashes of his pale skin illuminated in the firelight.

"Do you honestly mean that?" Iroh asked. Zuko sighed softly.

"Before you leave, uncle… I want you at Court as my right hand. I don't want you living forgotten at some estate. You can have my old suite or whatever you want. I will have no one else as my trusted aide." Zuko said simply. Not once did he look up.

Iroh bowed his head.

"It will be my honor to serve you, nephew. Good night, and we can talk more tomorrow." he replied. He squeezed Katara's arm and nodded at her before leaving, closing the door quietly. The girl stood there in the darkness, invisible to Zuko for all she knew, just standing there for a few moments as she listened to his breathing. She stared for a few moments, trying to decide what to do. She could just sneak out of here again... or go to him. Taking a deep but quiet breath, she took a few steps forward.

"Zuko..." she said softly. She could swear he stiffened in surprise, and she stood there silently for a few moments.

"Come here." he said softy, looking at her, beckoning her to come and sit with him. She took a few steps towards him before falling to her knees, her heart pounding. She felt weak and dizzy, both from the overflow of emotion and from the lack of strength from not eating, and barely felt the soft rug under her legs. Out of her peripheral vision, she saw him stand up from his chair.

"Get up, Katara." he said softly. She tried to. but she couldn't. If she didn't know better, she would say the floor was rocking under her legs. She was in the presence of the Fire Lord, and this wasn't Ozai. It was thrilling and frightening at the same time.

"Get up, please. You don't have to bow before me." he said. All she could do was shake her head dumbly. Her body refused to obey her. Distantly, as if she was no longer in her body, she felt him pick her up and hold her tightly, placing. kisses all over her face.

"My Waterbender." he whispered softly, holding her tightly, placing a deep kiss on her lips. She stared up at him quietly, finding the strength to lift her head and look into his deep golden eyes. Zuko was the Fire Lord now and her fate was in his hands.

"Oh, Tara..." Zuko said firmly, relief evident in his tone, staring back into her blue eyes. Her being here was unexpected and wonderful. He had been expecting to be alone tonight and for a while after that. He was aware that he would not even be able to leave Sozun any time soon if he wanted to go after her himself – his duties demanded that of him. That meant he would have to send others after her. But here she was! And that meant everything to him. Praise Agni.

She felt him carry her through a couple of ornate but mostly empty rooms to the bedroom to the mattress. He sat her on the side of it, and she looked up at him quietly. The Fire Lord placed another firm kiss on her lips as she felt his hands gently slide the cloak from her head and shoulders before a hand caressed her cheek.

"I'm so glad you're here." Zuko whispered. She nodded quietly, still very much stunned. Her heart was beating rapidly and her hands were shaking just slightly.

"I will have someone get us something to eat." he said, having noticed how light she felt when he had carried her. She also seemed dazed to him, and her eyes were not focusing on anything.

"No." she murmured softly with a slight shake of her head, "I'm f... fine." she said. He shook his head before he kissed her cheek and went to the door that led to the suite, shouting for someone to get him food. He returned to her side, slipping off her cloak, boots and trousers, but making no move to remove any of her other clothes. She stared down at him quietly, finding herself getting lost in his eyes again. He had such a gorgeous shade of gold, and when she stared into them, it was easy to forget everything else.

A knock on the door announced the arrival of food and Zuko went to get it, returning to the mat with a tray.

"Not hungry." she managed to croak out, but he looked at her with his eyebrow raised. Katara looked down silently, her hands folded together in her lap. She still felt odd about being here, being so close to the Fire Lord himself. The marble felt cool under her bare feet.

The Water Tribe girl sat there, unsure of what to do before she felt something pressed to her lips. She whimpered, turning her head away. Food had lost appeal to her. During the galas she rarely ate, and if she did it was just a little. Being surrounded by the nobles and being under Ozai's eyes had done much to whet her appetite and it wasn't long before her appetite simply died altogether. She had eaten nothing today but water and it was in fact all she had taken in for a few days besides a few mouthfuls of food in front of Zuko when they had private meals together.

"Please eat, Katara."

"I don't want to." she whispered, hoping he wouldn't become angry. She really was not hungry, but he was the Fire Lord and he could choose to do with her as he pleased, since she was now at his mercy. He could even order guards to hold her down and force-feed her if he wanted to.

"You do not look well. Eat." Zuko ordered, but she did not look up at him. In the back of her head, she saw the Agni Kai played over and over, the graceful moves of Zuko and his sire, their displays of power, Zuko delivering the final blow and Ozai going down in blazes…

Zuko stared at her quietly, trying to figure out how to coax her to eat. He could always just force-feed her, but he was just glad she was here and didn't want to alienate her.

How had she come back here so soon? How had Iroh found her? Unless...

_She had seen the Agni Kai?_ He remembered her fervent prayer.

The Fire Lord glanced at her in surprise, and Katara met his gaze for a moment before staring off at a wall.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, I... did not want to kill him." he said. She slowly turned her head back t him. To his relief, he didn't see anger or judgment in her eyes.

"I know." she said simply. He sighed softly, needing comfort from her. She let him lay his head on her lap. She said nothing, placing her hand on his head, stroking it lightly, knowing how much he enjoyed being stroked. It helped to calm him down, and in fact Zuko's mother had often done it when he was younger.

He looked up at her quietly, his face devoid of the usual hard expression. She understood what it meant.

_Gratitude._

Zuko was actually… grateful for her? She nodded a little and continued stroking his soft, thick hair. She understood why he did the Agni Kai. It had not been pleasant to see Ozai's body on fire, but Zuko did what he had to and in turn saved countless lives. Yes, she understood it was hard for him and she would not judge him. She was not going to tell him to simply shrug it off. No man with honor would just shrug off taking a life, and she vowed to herself that the least she could do was to help him deal with it the best she could.

She simply sat there without saying a word, letting him keep his head in her lap as long as he wanted.

"Thank you…for staying." Zuko said softly, "You took a big risk."

"I know I should have just hid, but I had to watch. Something inside of me told me to. And I prayed for you, Zuko."

"I know." Zuko replied quietly before he nuzzled her hand. She managed a small smile as he did this, and let him continue to nuzzle her hand, enjoying this intimate gesture.

"I'm just happy you're here, Katara. You mean a lot to me."

"I am just glad that you cared enough about me to let me go." Katara replied as she ran her fingers along his cheek.

"I did not want you to get hurt." was Zuko's reply and she leaned her head down and placed a fleeting kiss on his temple, causing him to smile faintly. With her here, things were right. And he wouldn't have it any other way.

Katara blinked when he tried to offer her some more food.

"Please eat." Zuko commanded gently.

"No."

"Why?" he asked. She simply shrugged.

"Is it something I did, Katara?"

"No it is not." she said simply, "I just don't feel like eating."

"Then will you at least tell me why?" he asked, a small vegetable-stuffed dumpling in his hand. The tray had simple fare on it – dumplings, water, stew and rice, and wine. She pushed the dumpling away.

"What is it?" Zuko asked and Katara heard concern and frustration in his voice.

"I'm not hungry." she pleaded, looking up at him, praying he would not be angry with her and punish her.

"I don't want you to starve. Eat. Or you will get sick." he said, pushing the dumpling back at her.

"That's what I tell myself but..." she sighed and shrugged, "I have no more appetite. When I see food, I just don't react to it."

"Then we will eat together." Zuko stated. She was about to protest, but he sat at her side, wrapping a arm around her middle and keeping her close.

"You're not going to give up until I eat are you?"

"No I'm not." Zuko stated in a no-nonsense tone that caused her to crack a small smile.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Because you know me." he said in a gentler tone. She nodded quietly.

"Yes....I do." she said. Zuko managed to get her to bite into the dumpling.

Zuko ate most of the food, but he ensured that Katara ate another dumpling and several spoonfuls of the stew as well as a few sips of the wine. Personally, he would have liked her to eat more, but he didn't want her to be uncomfortable, and too much food would probably have made her stomach sick. _One step at a time._

He set the empty tray aside on a table that had been placed haphazardly in the middle of the front room before returning to Katara. The Firebender lay down on the mattress as he looked up at her.

"I'm so tired. I am... glad I won." Zuko said softly.

"So am I. Bu it looks like it took a lot out of you. You should retire to bed." she said gently.

"Will you stay with me?" he asked. She nodded.

"Am I to share these quarters with you?"

"You will stay in my bed like you always have." Zuko said as he looked up at her, "you are mine, and I have no desire to sleep alone when I have you." He pulled himself up to a sitting position and stared at her before she nodded. He let out a soft sigh and stared at the windows, and she could see he was thinking of Ozai again.

"How can I make you feel better?" she asked gently.

"Hold me?" he murmured. She wrapped her arms around his middle, "I wish I knew what to feel, I killed my own father and while I know he was... a monster, and would become a bigger one, but I still killed him." he murmured and she nodded.

"I will not judge you, my lord." she said softly. It felt strange calling him that, "But think... you saved countless lives."

"I know that, but it doesn't change the fact that I killed my father." he said with pain evident in his tone. She felt her heart break for him. It was sad that no matter what, Zuko loved his sire despite how he loathed his his darkness, but aside from being saddening, it spoke volumes of his honor as well. He cared even about his enemy's fate.

"Like I said, I will not judge you. I know it was a difficult decision. You did what you had to."

"I stood up to him and now? Now he's dead and I don't know whether to smile or cry. Everything's different now."

"You can do both.." she said gently, keeping her gaze on him, "But now it's all over. You have your honor. You always had it. And the fact that you feel guilty over this proves your honor. No honorable man would take joy from killing, _any _kind of killing. And you are right. Everything is different. But you can decide if that is a good or bad difference."

"And is the fact that I still love my father a bad thing?" he asked. She shook her head in reply.

"He did sire you, after all. That was a good thing he did." Katara said simply. He looked at her with eyes full of pain and her heart went out to him. Rarely did he show such emotion in his eyes and she saw a whole flurry of them, some concerning his father, others about her.

"Let's go to bed. A good night's sleep should help you." she suggested, rubbing his back, feeling the tense muscles relax under the loose silk robe he wore. They both pulled the blankets back, and he watched as she lay down. But he did not recline immediately, and looked down at her for a few moments.

He could say it now. He had been waiting for so long. And hopefully, it would bring her closer to him, help her become less afraid of having a real relationship with him. He had been so close to telling her before the Agni Kai. He could imagine no other woman for him. He did not want a life with anyone else. He wanted to be with her always, to hear her, see her, hold her, have her at his side. She meant everything to him. Sure, some people may think he was too young to say something like that, or say it was just hormones. But it went far beyond that. He had thought it over seriously many times and he could not be more certain.

"Katara." Zuko said as he looked down at her.

"Yes?" she asked as he stroked her cheek.

"I love you."

She blinked and looked up at him quietly, remembering how he had so often looked at her with quiet longing, as if he had wanted to say something. Was it what he was struggling to tell her this morning? The pieces fell into place and she nodded, reaching up to caress his face and kiss the hand that was touching her own. His words warmed her more than she would have expected, and she smiled up at him.

"Don't leave me." Zuko said as he leaned down for a kiss, and she accepted

"I won't. I'm here for you." Katara reassured him, kissing his scar and lips before he lay down, pulling her into his arms. She snuggled up against him as he buried his face against her neck.


	20. Good Morning

**Hot Water**

Chapter XIX – Good Morning

o0o0o0o

Katara slowly opened her eyes, seeing grand and opulent surroundings – even more so than Zuko's own chambers – and rubbed her eyes as she tried to orient herself. The sensation of waking up on silk sheets was familiar, but the bedchamber was bigger and the marble walls seemed to rise up over her head into infinity. _What was going on?_ And more importantly, where was she? She looked to her side, seeing a mess, furniture here and there as well as a few rolled up tapestries and a couple of chests, including her own. Then the memories were like a tidal wave crashing over her violently, threatening to drag her back into the undertow of the emotion that surged through her. She suppressed a gasp, trying to calm herself down as she took in her surroundings and situation.

She was not in the bed of Prince Zuko. She was in the bed of… _Fire Lord Zuko_.

The Waterbender looked over her shoulder at Zuko, feeling his arm draped around her middle.. That gave her a small amount of reassurance. His warm breath whispered on the side of her neck faintly and she could feel his heartbeat against her arm. He still looked very tired, and she remembered the emotional turmoil he had been through and the anguish he had shown the night before.

She sighed softly and stared up at the ceiling for a moment, processing everything that had happened within the last several months… or rather, everything that had happened within the last year. The discovery of the Avatar, the battles, the travels, the people she had met, her first night with Zuko, being kidnapped again, living in Zuko's ship and getting to know him and Iroh, the Death Dragon's attack and then the magnificent and overwhelming city of Sozun, coming face to face with the dreaded Fire Lord himself, seeing the Agni Kai...

Katara had come such a long way from being a Water Tribe girl with simple dreams of living a happy life in her community, with a husband and a family, being safe among her own people. Now those dreams were dashed. How could she ever return to a normal life after everything that had happened?

She slowly removed herself from the bed, taking the utmost care to not awaken him. Her feet moved across the floor slowly, feeling the cool marble under her soles. Was marble always so cool? Despite its warm hues, it was never warm to her touch even as the days got longer and warmer. If she thought Zuko's old rooms had been splendid, the Fire Lord's rooms were... well, there were no words for it. The ceiling was high, with ornate lamps and graceful yet bold pillars strategically placed near the corners of the room. Above the bed, in the center of the the space between the pillars was a golden relief of Agni, his body long and sinuous and made of rubies embedded into gold, with a lavish design of clouds and flames in the background.

It all seemed like a dream. Certainly she would wake up to find herself back in her father's tent in the village, where she and Sokka were once again fighting over who knew what for the umpteenth time. Her mother would be making breakfast, and her father and the other men would be bringing back meat from their hunting trips, hopefully a tiger-seal, or perhaps even a lion-whale. But deep down inside, she knew this was reality and she would never be free of it.

She ventured to the entrance of the chambers, seeing the pile of Ozai's old things. She saw his portrait, ripped as it was last night, only the morning light filtering in through the window at the other end of the hall provided better illumination for the damage. As she looked closer she, also saw burn marks. Had Zuko really gone and did that to a mere picture of his sire? Well, she couldn't blame him, not after all Ozai had put his son through. She remembered the ache and weariness in Zuko's eyes she had seen after his long days in Court.

Her eyes quickly moved along the other things, seeing luxurious furniture cluttered against one wall haphazardly. There was a wardrobe, with latticework along its face, intricately carved then painted in black lacquer, although one of the doors had accidentally swung open, revealing a small waterfall of red silk. She saw chairs with plush red velvet backing and seats everything was exquisitely made as befitting the lord of a entire country.

Katara blinked as she saw someone move in her peripheral vision and looked around to see a servant standing there. She didn't know what to say and simply stared back. It was a woman with light brown eyes, her ebony hair tied back, and she wore the standard dark red and gray uniform of a maid.

"Is the Fire Lord up yet?" the servant asked bluntly with what was unmistakably an undertone of disbelief and even a little condescension, as if Katara was lower than herself. Katara was not quite sure how to respond to this, as she had never really interacted with servants or given them orders, being kept in Zuko's apartments whenever she wasn't out with him. She wasn't even sure of her own position compared to them. Zuko had always limited her interactions with others and she knew it was for her own protection, but now she just felt awkward. She had meals brought to her by servants before, but it was always on Zuko's orders.

What should she do? Should she simply answer the question? Give an order to the woman? Or simply ignore the maid and act as if she wasn't there?

"No." Katara replied simply. The woman simply stood there, nodding a little.

"Uh… do you have important news or something?" Katara asked. The maid simply shook her head and shrugged if the question was of no relevance.

"If the Fire Lord is not awake, there is no point in me being here." the maid said, completely brushing off Katara before turning around and heading down the stairs. The Waterbender simply stared for a while, feeling the attitude of the woman slowly sink in. Would everyone look at her this way? With contempt and disgust because she was a so-called barbarian? The nobles did, she had seen their sly glances and heard their whispered comments. But the servants? At that moment she felt her heart sink at the prospect of spending the rest of her life here. If even the servants would look down at her with contempt, how could she ever belong in this place?

How the hell could she ever adjust to living in a land that was foreign in every way to her and judged her so? She felt so very out of place here in Fire Nation Territory, and no matter what Iroh and Zuko had said the night before or what the new Fire Lord might say in the future, nothing would change that. She started to tremble a little, tears beginning to form, tears she tried to fight as she made her way back to the bedchamber. She wished she knew what to do about her current situation before it got worse.

Zuko lay there on the mat, several thick comforters on top of that then his own body. He didn't seem to care that the bed wasn't properly made, and slept contentedly amidst the mess of blankets. Something about this was endearing to her as she walked quietly around the mat. He looked at peace, and he certainly deserved it.

He was the Fire Lord. The ruler of an entire nation that had been responsible for so much sorrow in a century, a country responsible for the genocide of the Airbenders and the near-extinction of her own people. That fact remained ensconced firmly in her mind and she asked herself again what the hell she was doing here.

Out of all the people around the new Fire Lord, it was her that was closest to him. Not Iroh who had obviously been more of a father figure to Zuko than Ozai had ever been, not a trusted adviser, not anyone else. It was all her and she was confused yet honored because of it, even as she asked herself deep down if she could ever feel at home here in the heart of the Fire Nation itself especially with… the same prince who had kidnapped her and marked her as his own. Could she ever feel truly happy with the life he wanted for her?

A small set of double mahogany doors in the bedchamber opened out to a large and grand balcony and she was rendered speechless by the breathtaking sight. Here, she could see the entire city of Sozun and the harbor with all of its ships, since this level was actually higher than the volcano wall! The city itself was a smattering of various shades of red, cream, white, and brown in a intricate tapestry surrounded by a patchwork of greens. The tiles on the roofs of the watchtowers glistened in the sun and she could see guards at the towers and along the wall in a vigilant patrol. The vastness of the ocean stretched beyond it all. Indeed, this was a view fit for a Fire Lord. One could truly see all from here, and it overwhelmed her. On the horizon, she could even see a speck on the water, and knew that it was the statue of Azulon, standing guard at the Gates that had been named after him.

She felt dizzy and made her way to one of the chairs to sit, contemplating things. At least Sokka and Aang were all right. She had no reason to believe Iroh would lie to her. He and Zuko had never lied to her, even when the truth had been painful, and she was grateful for that.

Her hands started to shake and she sighed softly before she noticed her chest in this room. She couldn't help but remember her shopping spree and Iroh's cheerfulness when he had shopped with her, helping her with her wardrobe and anything else she needed before he bought her that chest.

Nagging doubts reared up in her head. She did not belong here. She was a Water Tribe peasant. She should just go and find her brother and the Avatar and then they could all just go… wherever. Aang could work on mastering the elements and keeping the peace and she could see more of the world. The Fire Nation was not her home, it never was.

Panic filled her and she started to feel short of breath. All the red and gold here in this room spun around her and she took deep breaths, attempting to calm herself. She got to her feet, trying to decide what to do, whether she should sit back down, lay in the bed, or... just bolt out of here. Her trousers, boots, and cloak were near the bed as well as her purse. She could get dressed and run…

Katara moaned softly, collapsing within reach of a pillar, and she latched onto it as if she was on a boat that was rocking wildly and she was holding on its mast, and she was grateful for the coolness of the marble, pressing her cheek to it. She did not hear a soft moan as golden eyes opened, as her own were squeezed shut as she tried to quell the multitude of thoughts in her head.

Zuko's eyebrow raised slightly as he heard her moan softly and saw her hug the pillar, though her embrace did not even reach halfway around. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, as if she had a fever and he climbed out of bed, approaching her, noticing that she was shaking. His hand reached out to touch her shoulder, wanting to hold her and reassure her, fix whatever was wrong. He would call the physician if he needed to.

Katara shrieked in alarm when his hand came in contact with her shoulder. Her tone was so searing and pained that he jumped back before he touched her again, shaking her gently. Her head jerked up and she stared at him with wide blue eyes as if she was afraid of him. She did not utter a word, but a strangled moan escaped her throat.

"Are you okay?" Zuko asked gently, kneeling next to her, getting ready to pick her up. Katara quickly looked down, shivering a little more, her fingers and nails pressing against the pillar as if she could actually dig into the marble.

He gave her a tender nuzzle and she whimpered softly, trying not to cry.

"Come back to bed with me. Lay down, and I will rub your back." Zuko whispered as he placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"I'm okay. I need to use the washroom…" she choked out quickly, pulling herself to her feet and wandering around the room for a few moments before locating the washroom and bolting in, slamming the door before her.

The bathroom was elegant like none she had ever seen before, and even the comfortably posh washroom in Zuko's old quarters paled before this. The tub looked like it could accommodate quite a few people, and within reach of it were neatly folded fluffy red towels, washcloths, slippers and a robe, bath oils, and soap. It was made from a marble several shades darker than most of the other marble, and was edged in gold in a intricate design of flames, and she had to wonder just how this Palace was built. It was even grander than Avatar Roku's temple and she couldn't help but wonder about the construction. How did one get all of this marble put together? Were Earthbenders part of the Palace's construction, so long ago? The latticed windows let the early morning sunlight dance along the floor and the tub in little golden lotus, dragon, and flame designs.

The latrine had its own opulent little chamber too, with a small tapestry of the Fire Nation symbol on the wall and a neat stack of absorbent paper near the seat, along with a small basin set into the wall. It was a definite far cry from squatting near a tree and using leaves to clean oneself, she thought dryly.

She splashed some cold water on her face from the basin in the larger room and looked in the mirror, her hands still shaking although she felt calmed a little by the feel of the water on her cheeks and hands. Her reflection looked strange to her, as if it was another person. She felt sick, quickly dashing back to the latrine and throwing up what little she had in her stomach and placing her hand on the wall to steady herself.

"You're not okay." Zuko said softly as he entered the washroom, seeing Katara in the chamber through the door that hung ajar. She turned away so he couldn't see her throw up, she felt embarrassed that he was seeing her like this.

"Please... just... I need some privacy…" she whispered, trying to keep herself steady.

"What's wrong?" Zuko asked, drawing closer, his hand shooting out to keep her from closing the door to the chamber.

"Just… just go away, please." Katara said with a slight shudder

"Very well." Zuko said softly, touching her shoulder lightly, "I will wait for you." he promised before he turned to leave the washroom.

She looked over her shoulder at him quietly as he left. She noticed that he left the door ajar just a bit before she felt another heave come up. She had gained some weight on the ship since her injury, but at the Palace living under Ozai, constantly living under fear and seeing its effects on Zuko as well, had caused her to lose weight all over again. Perhaps that was why she was so dizzy.

She prayed to the spirits for help, leaning her head against the wall, feeling the cool marble. It did feel good on her forehead. She crawled out of the chamber and sat near the basin, drawing her knees up to her chest and letting out a soft whimper. Perhaps it was her hormones. Maybe it was her emotional turmoil. Or perhaps she really was having a breakdown. She started crying to herself quietly.

Her hand went up to her mother's necklace. What would her mother say if she saw her own daughter in the Fire Palace with its Fire Lord, not to mention being said Lord's woman? Would she be angry or disappointed? Instantly, Katara felt shame and she whimpered softly and took off the necklace, looking down at it, touching the cool blue stone and her eyes moved to the silver chain. He had done this sometime after their first night, why? He could have just chucked it or forced her to do something in exchange for it instead of just handing it back to her as he had done. Sometimes she wondered about that.

Could she ever truly be comfortable here? In the very heart of the Fire Nation? Would she melt away in the fire with every passing day she remained here? She found herself unable to handle all the thoughts that were racing through her head, and tried to muffle her sobs in the hope that he wouldn't see or hear her.

Zuko stood outside, listening to her soft sobs. Was it something he had done? She was upset, that was rather obvious to him, but she'd always tried to be brave, and tell him that whatever was bothering her was nothing. This worried him. If anything, she was like him in that aspect. Both of them masked their pain the best they could, and it worried him. She didn't have to hide from him. And Ozai was dead, and Sokka and Aang were free. She had nothing to worry about now.

He peeked through the door, seeing her sitting there and crying softly. That was it. He opened the door and strode over to her, picking her up in his arms and carrying her back to the bed. Katara did not protest as he set her down, still holding her firmly as if she would bolt if he loosened his hold just a bit.

The Fire Lord held her close, not saying a word for a bit. Instead, he simply let his actions do the talking as his hand gently rubbed her back, and her sobs died away. She sniffled softly, feeling his arms around her, and her fingers curled around the collar of his robe as if to pull him closer and hold him so he wouldn't run off. He held her for a while before gently letting go of her and entering the washroom, returning with some absorbent paper which he used to wipe her tears and let her blow her nose with as he took her into his arms again.

"What's wrong, Katara?" he asked. She shook her head.

"I... I don't know." she whimpered, looking down. How could she explain to him how she felt? She was having a hard time breathing and felt as if everything was closing in on her, and she moaned softly when she felt a hand under her chin. Her face was lifted up and golden eyes looked into deep blue ones.

"Tell me." Zuko whispered as he rubbed her chin with his thumb. His presence was comforting... like an anchor that held her while the water churned around her, threatening to drown her.

"I'm drowning." she said softly, barely choking out the words.

"Drowning?"

"It … it just... I feel overwhelmed and… it's hard to breathe..."

"Take a deep breath like you do when we meditate and tell me what's wrong." Zuko said, caressing her cheek. She whimpered softly, trying not to break down and cry again.

"It's all just too much..."

"What's all too much?"

"Everything, Zuko, _everything!_" Katara almost screamed, looking at him with confusion and exhaustion and panic.

"What? Tell me." he asked. She took a deep breath before telling her how overwhelmed she felt about being here, about the maid, about the sight she had seen from the balcony, and how she couldn't keep track of all the thoughts in her head.

"What if I'm going insane?" Katara begged. He hugged her tightly.

Truth was, Zuko had felt this way once long ago – it almost seemed like ages ago – in the aftermath of his first Agni Kai. It had felt as if the world was crumbling around him when he had woken up with the left side of his face in pain only to receive the news of his banishment. It felt as if his world was shattering under him, and he could not have described all the thoughts that had exploded through his head in the moments after that.

"I can't handle this..." she moaned softly, trying to take another calming breath.

"You feel overwhelmed, as if nothing can make things better and you feel like nothing ever makes sense. But I know that if you give yourself time to adjust, everything will work out well."

"Look at me Zuko, take a long look at me...I'm a Water Tribe woman, in your bed, the bed of the Fire Lord! This is not normal! This has to be some crazy dream... Why did this happen between us? I keep thinking to myself and asking myself this. But I never get a answer and every time I look at you I realize that we are fire and water, two elements that are not to be joined, not to mention we are on opposite sides in every conceivable way Zuko, I… we…" Katara sighed and looked down, "You were never supposed to love me."

"Not supposed to? I love you and I want to be with you. I am the Fire Lord and I will have you here at my side." he whispered fiercely. She stared up into his yellow eyes, and felt a reassured. She didn't feel as if she was drowning so much anymore, not when Zuko was saying these three words to her.

As she looked down, she noticed her necklace was still in her hand, and held it up to him.

"Why....why did you fix it?" she asked softly.

"Because it meant a lot to you." Zuko said quietly, "You said that it had belonged to your mother, and after our first night, I wanted something to give to you because I knew I would have you again. I wanted to show you how serious I was about keeping you, so I decided to buy the chain… and I know what it feels like to lose a mother…" he said quietly. She touched his cheek gently.

"I wasn't expecting you to." she said softly, looking down at it, "I was surprised when you presented it to me my first night on the ship, especially after you had... burned me."

Zuko looked away when she mentioned her burn. At times he felt guilty about placing the burn on her and marking her that way. Katara noted this, but said nothing more about that particular matter, and continued, "It just surprised me that you had thought to do something like this..." she said, motioning to the silver chain, "back then, when you barely knew me, you didn't really have any reason to and I was surprised…"

"I wanted to." Zuko stated simply, looking back at her and she smiled at him a little.

"Will you put it back on me?" she asked. He nodded with a gentle smile, and she shivered slightly as he slid the chain from her fingers and put it on her neck. His hands were warm and she moaned a little as they came into contact with her flesh.

"Thank you. It was... very noble of you to fix it."

"I wanted to. I cared for you, even back then. I knew it meant a lot to you." Zuko said and she placed a gentle but firm kiss on his cheek.

"Because you need me." Katara replied softly.

"I don't just need you, I want you. I hope though... that you will stay because you wish it and that you enjoy being with me?" Zuko asked, looking at her with longing in his eyes. She opened her mouth then closed it, remaining silent for a few moments, staring off thoughtfully.

"Is it an impossible wish that you might feel the same way for me one day?" he asked. She felt a gentle caress on her cheek.

"Katara?"

"Why should I stay with you, Zuko? After what happened? How can I believe you love me? How do I know you will not become bored of me one day and discard me? You took my virginity. If my Tribe knew, I would not be a suitable wife. What man would want a woman not pure?"

"Every day, I wish the circumstances of us coming together was better. If our nations had been at peace, I could have been able to woo you... the Fire Prince courting the pretty Waterbender. I truly am sorry for the pain you have gone through. I am sorry for everything I ever did that hurt you. But back then... I couldn't say it. I didn't understand what I was feeling, and I was still confused about my honor." he sighed softly, shaking his head. "Katara, I love you. I want you to be my Fire Lady. Here you are safe. There are men on my side, powerful men who want to see the War end. We can work together for a better future. I need you at my side. Having you... it's what kept me from going crazy. It was for you, for myself, for the right thing that I stood up against my father. Regardless of our circumstances, you're the one I want to spend the rest of my life with."

Katara blinked back tears and quickly turned away so he could not see her fight back her sobs.

"Why do you turn away from me? What can I do to prove it to you? How can I make up for what I have done to you? And there's something I haven't told you before. You're the first woman I've had sex with."

"...What?" He had mentioned concubines before, surely he wasn't inexperienced, their first time together certainly had been enjoyable...

"The concubines my father sent to me... he said that it was my privilege as a Prince to enjoy the best of what the Nation had to offer... but these women only frightened me. They were beautiful, but they had too much make-up on, and were complete strangers to me. I hadn't even picked them, my sire had done that for me, and then they started pawing at me, and..." He sighed and shook his head. "I knew right then and there that I didn't want my first time to be like that. I wanted it to be special... You're the only woman I would consider doing it with. So many times I ached for you after first seeing you, I couldn't stop thinking of you..."

She started crying softly, and he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Tara, I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry I burned you, I'm sorry for the loneliness and pain you've been through. If I could go back in time and change all that, I would. I don't want a concubine or slave. I want a companion, an equal."

"Nothing can change this." Katara whispered, pulling her robe open just enough to reveal the scar. He sighed softly before being struck by an idea.

"Mark me. I am yours as much as you are mine. Let me bear your mark. Let me prove the truth of my words."

She stared at him, furrowing her eyebrows. What did he mean? Was she to pick up a brand and press it to his flesh?

"Boiling water can burn. Use your Bending." he stated. She stared at him for several moments before he rose from the bed and entered the washroom. He returned with a small bowl – the kind used to mix soap or oil for preparation – and set it down on the floor next to the mat.

"Form a small water whip, and I will use my Firebending to heat it." he stated in a no-nonsense tone as he sat down, loosening his pants and pushing the right side down to expose the lower front of his hip. "Brand it right here."

"You're... certain?" she asked, disbelief evident in her tone.

"Do it. Please." Under his intense gaze, she Bended a small water-whip, about three inches in length, and concentrated on keeping its form as fire formed just above Zuko's upturned palm, heating the water to a boil.

"Now!" he whispered, and she quickly pressed the water to the area he had indicated. The shape followed the curve of water, making a sinuous mark that came close to resembling an 'S', making them both think of the churning and eddying of water currents. He hissed softly in pain, but made no move to stop her. After several seconds, she quickly lifted it off, seeing the blisters and redness already forming on his hip.

Quickly, she Bended more water out of the bowl, pressing it to his burn. It glowed as it soothed away his pain, leaving behind a neat and graceful mark. He lay back, splaying out as he gave out an soft sigh, relishing the coolness that her healing provided. What an extraordinary gift! He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again, staring up at her. Her eyes were on the newly-formed mark, and tentatively she reached out to touch it. His hand slid along the blankets before reaching up to touch hers.

They were silent for several long moments before he sat up to take her into his arms.

"Now the Fire Lord bears your mark." he whispered, stroking her hair. "Do you understand?"

She nodded slowly, and he hugged her more tightly. He understood and knew that she had been through a lot, so had he. They would work it out together. He wanted to let her know that she didn't have to be afraid of him, and hoped she would trust him. He was content to hold her for a while, but soon enough his stomach rumbled with hunger.

"I'm hungry. Let's eat."

"Not hungry."

"You need to eat." he whispered, rubbing her back. He was concerned about her lack of appetite and hoped it didn't mean something was physically wrong with her. She paused for a moment and nodded, albeit hesitatingly.

"I mean what I say. I love you."

"Why?" she asked, shaking her head a little, "I never thought this would happen... you and me... after that first night we had. I thought I was just a conquest to you but even with that I actually missed you and I was angry with myself..." she said softly as if talking to herself. She remembered Auntie Wu's words. Was Zuko the powerful bender the fortuneteller spoke of?

"I wanted you from the first time I laid my eyes on you. And I missed you so very much after that night we had. I just had to have more, and I will never have enough." Zuko said as he ran a finger along her jaw and throat.

"How the hell did this happen?" Katara asked quietly, holding back a shiver as his finger traveled along the curve of her throat, "We're on opposite sides."

"And is what we have a bad thing?" Zuko asked as he traced his finger up her throat again, stroking her chin as he lifted it up to make her look at him, "And are we really on opposite sides now, Katara?"

"I... I guess not." she said softly.

"And I'm not bad, am I?" Zuko asked. She shook her head.

"You're not interested in Aang, are you?" Katara asked hopefully, wanting to be sure. He shook his head.

"I have my honor, my throne, my country, and you. I have no need for anything else. Last night, I declared that he was not to be harmed in any way, and to be left alone." Zuko replied. She nodded before laying down again, her head on a pillow. At least she didn't have to worry about him anymore and she felt a bit better, although there was still a lot of things to think about, namely herself and Zuko and how she would have to deal with her new living situation. She had been so very close to getting out of Sozun. If not for Iroh…

"I'm sorry you're tired." Zuko said softly, touching her forehead to see if she felt warm. She was not.

"Not your fault." Katara muttered, feeling her hands shake a little. She folded them close to her chest, hoping Zuko would not see the slight tremor.

"I never thought I'd end up in the Fire Lord's bed." she said softly.

"And what is wrong with my bed?" Zuko said with a small smirk as he looked down at her.

"I can't help but wonder how it happened between us."

"Don't." Zuko said quietly, leaning down to her, kissing the side of her neck.

"Don't? How can I not wonder?"

"It happened because it was meant to be." The Fire Lord said with the fullest conviction in his voice, "we've done well together, the fights and arguments and the whole situation aside. I mean, before I met you, before I found myself taking you, I never would have considered fighting my sire. But you gave me hope, you showed me how to see things differently, you helped me to understand what honor really is. I owe you everything. I don't care what the nobles think or what anyone else says. I may be young, but I know what I feel is genuine, and I've been feeling it for a long time."

She blinked, feeling tears come behind her eyes as she quickly lifted up her sleeve to hide her face. She had cried enough already, she wasn't going to let it happen again.

The Fire Lord looked down at her before he pulled down her arm, kissing her along her face and nuzzling her before she smiled at him faintly. He wanted her to be happy here, to feel safe and comfortable with him.

He looked down at her quietly as he saw her hand approach his face, and he let out the barest hint of a smile when he felt her lovely little fingers caress his cheek. He always craved for her touch, whether it was a passionate embrace in the throes of lovemaking or a simple and chaste brush of fingers against fingers.

The Firebender's own hand ran from Katara's throat down to her breast and then her hip, and he mentally berated himself for not having noticed her dramatic weight loss as much as he should have. He had been so absorbed in his own concerns. Hell, even her breasts looked a little smaller and he sighed softly as he felt her pelvic bone at her hip. Damned if he was going to let her lose any more weight and let her waste away to nothing.

"Let's get you something to eat. It's time for breakfast." Zuko said, kissing the hand that was touching his face.

"Not hungry."

"At least eat something like I don't know…a papaya."

"I don't like papayas." Katara said with a stubborn shake of her head.

"An orange then?" he asked calmly.

"Not hungry." she insisted. He shook his head.

"Just a little bit of food at least?" he asked. She shook her head again, curling up tightly and hugging her pillow close.

"Does it actually hurt if you eat? I'll have the physician examine you to see what's wrong."

"Not hungry." Katara insisted stubbornly. Zuko sighed softly as he stroked her left calf and foot.

"I'm sorry that you've not been doing well, Katara." Zuko said softly, squeezing her leg a little to get her to look at him. Katara didn't respond.

"I should have noticed this earlier, I feel stupid."

"Forget it."

"No, I will not. I should have paid more attention when you were eating."

"It's over." she sighed, "You're the Fire Lord now."

"But you matter to me." he said with a soft whisper. Katara lifted her head from the pillow to look up at him. He was touched by the quiet look on her face and stroked her cheek.

"Hold me?" Katara asked quietly. He nodded, wrapping his arms around her tightly.

"Always." Zuko said as she lay her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. She couldn't help but feel guilty about her thoughts on leaving. Zuko cared about her very much, and he needed her and was obviously concerned for her. She snuggled up against him, laying her head on his left shoulder and wrapping her arms around him, nuzzling that side of his face, feeling the smooth, thick skin of his scar.

"I really did miss you after our first night together." Katara murmured softly, "even though I was angry with you."

"I'm glad you missed me, but I missed you more." he said with a small smirk. Katara blinked and laughed a little, and this gentle laughter was music to his ears. He tightened his embrace, holding her close, savoring the small body that was curled up in his lap.

"I'm just glad its all over." Katara whispered, kissing his cheek.

"So am I. But I'm also glad you're stuck with me."

"I didn't have much choice."

"Ohh come now." Zuko said, loosening his grip a little and smirking down at her.

"You're the one who kidnapped me. Twice. And kept me hostage."

"I did not, you stayed with me of your own free will." he shot back challengingly, daring her to prove him wrong only he should've known better then to suggest that considering how fierce she was.

"That's a bold-faced lie, and you know it." she mock pouted.

"Well, you had a choice in how to handle it, Katara. Our arguments aside, we got along pretty well. You could have simply frozen me out but you let me get to know you. And you let yourself get to know me as well."

She touched his hand gently, in the way he liked it and looked up at him. "I... hope you're feeling better from last night..." she said, changing the subject.

"I am indeed." Zuko replied with a slight nod. He would always live with the burden of what he did, but he had accepted it as necessary. Katara reached up to cup his face with her hands, studying his features quietly. He was handsome, even with the scar. If anything… the scar enhanced it somehow and gave him character. Without it, he would just be a pretty boy – one who wouldn't have been exiled, and never had a chance to learn the lessons that life had to offer. If he hadn't been exiled, he wouldn't be Fire Lord right now.

She started to stroke his fingers, knowing that gentle touches to his hands always were very enjoyable for him. He could not help but shiver a little as she pushed the sleeve of his robe up so she could stroke his wrist and the inside of his arm in that languid way that always made him melt. Her tender digits slid across the pale surface, leaving his nerves tingling in their wake and he fixed his gaze onto hers, conveying his need and desire for her before pulling her in for a kiss.

Katara continued to stroke his arm as she carefully pulled him down, laying his head on her chest and holding him. He was so warm and she was a bit cold, so she held him closer, wanting some of that wonderful warmth. It had been too easy for her to get cold lately because of her weight loss and his warm body was so nice to be curled up to.

Zuko nuzzled her chest as his hands slid along her body, transferring a bit of his body heat into hers, helping her to get more comfortable. She moaned softly, nodding in approval.

"That feels so good." she whispered as she stared up at him with half-lidded eyes.

"I'm glad you enjoy it." Zuko said softly as he kissed her on the forehead.

"I'm glad you're the one to make me warm." Katara shot back, and the large smile on his face was priceless. She treasured his rare smiles, and remembered each time that he smiled like it was a special occasion, and she had never seen a smile this big before.

"I wish I could just stay in bed with you all day." she whispered, as if admitting some sort of secret like a shy little maiden.

"We can, if you like." Zuko replied. She blinked in surprise.

"But you're the Fire Lord. Don't you have duties? I don't want to interfere…" She did not really know the responsibilities of the Fire Lord – Zuko would know better than her – but somehow she felt it was important and she hoped he didn't mind her giving her opinion on this.

"I had a meeting with my advisers last night to take care of the most important matters. Now we are in a three-day period of rest and mourning. So don't worry about it, Katara. We can just relax and take a breather." Zuko explained. She hadn't even thought about a mourning period. Silly her.

"You certainly deserve a day of rest." she said quietly as she gently ran a finger along his silk-covered shoulder.

"As do you." Zuko replied with complete seriousness in his tone.

"You've been through a lot, Zuko." Katara said quietly.

"But you have been through a lot as well, Katara." he replied with a hint of remorse in his voice. After all, much of her suffering had been his fault, directly and indirectly. She nodded quietly before he nuzzled her.

"Both of us." she murmured. He nodded in agreement before placing a kiss on her forehead. They lay there for a while, simply cuddling and nuzzling each other before she looked at him quietly, clearly wishing to ask something.

"Is something wrong?"

"Now that Ozai is gone might I… explore the palace? I'm not to be confined anymore, am I?"

"No, Katara. I don't want to confine you. Feel free to explore. This is your home now." he stated softly and she nodded. _Home_. Would this place _ever_ feel like home?

Zuko saw the look on her face and squeezed her gently.

"This is your home now. Not a prison." he said, trying to reassure her.

"But…I mean, no one really likes me. Well, except for you and Iroh…" Katara sighed, thinking of how that servant had looked at her with disdain.

"Katara, things are different. I am the Fire Lord. You are my lady. You are now mistress of the household and I will make that clear to everyone. You will receive the honor that any noblewoman gets. And if any servant refuses to obey you, I will take care of it. This is your home now and I want you to be happy in it."

_Mistress of the household?_ It seemed almost insane.

"I am the mistress?" Katara asked incredulously.

"Yes. If you need or want anything, you will be treated just like a lady. The servants obeyed my mother because she was the royal consort. And they will obey you as well."

"Thank you."

"For what?" Zuko asked with a small smirk, "You deserve the honor."

Almost as if on cue, there was a gentle rapping from the front door. Zuko raised his head and sat up before getting off the mat and stalking towards the door, whipping it open. The maid was so startled she jerked back a little as she stared up at the Fire Lord.

"I'm sorry, my Lord, I did not mean to awake you…"

"I was already awake."

"I just came up to see if you wished for breakfast or anything else, my Lord." the maid said with a quick curtsey. Zuko narrowed his eyes thoughtfully and nodded.

"Yes. Breakfast would be good. Something simple. Water, tea, hm… soup, hot rolls… and fruit. Orange and cantaloupe." Zuko stated. The maid nodded again.

"And there's a tray left over from last night." he added, pointing to the tray in the front room. The woman hastened to fetch it. As she did, she glimpsed Katara standing in the doorway to the bedroom.

It was the same maid from earlier this morning, the one that had looked at her with disdain. Katara said nothing, simply staring as the woman picked up the tray.

"Is there a problem?" Zuko asked, sensing the tension between the two women. Katara quickly stared off at the wall, saying nothing.

"No, not at all my lord." the maid stated softly turning to leave, though there was no mistaking the hostility in her body language upon seeing Katara.

"Let me make one thing clear to you." Zuko snapped at the maid, his tone harsh, "Katara is your lady. She will be referred to as such. You and the other servants will also treat her as such. If I find out that you have been treating her with disrespect or even looking down at her, harsh discipline will be given with no exceptions or excuses. Her needs are to be attended to as mine are and she is to be treated with honor. I know that you call her the Azure Concubine. She is the Azure _Consort_. Understand?"

"Yes, my lord." the woman said meekly.

"Good. You are dismissed. Come back only when you have breakfast." Zuko snapped, and the woman quickly left.

Katara turned around, returning to the bedchamber. She felt cold, and she wanted to remove her robe, as she had worn it all day yesterday and slept in it.

Zuko followed her and watched silently as she opened her chest, fishing around until she found a deep crimson yukata. It was made from cotton, and was very soft and thick, and would give her more warmth than her linen robe. It didn't matter that it was summer, she was still cold.

He watched quietly as she stripped of her robe, and he took a moment to admire her body, which was right now covered only by a couple of pieces of underwear before she covered it all up with her yukata and secured it around her middle. She then walked over to one of the windows, staring out quietly.

"Is something wrong, Katara?" Zuko asked gently, approaching her from behind and wrapping his arms around her middle. He could feel her shivering a little and transferred some warmth into her, feeling her relax considerably into his embrace.

"No." Katara replied softly, but she didn't sound very convincing.

"I want you to be happy." Zuko said softly, "I know that it may feel strange living here, but you don't have to be afraid. I am the Fire Lord and you are my lady. You're not a peasant. When I think of you as being Water Tribe I simply think of you as a Water Tribe woman, not a peasant. You have a grace and beauty that I do not see in any of the noblewomen here. Don't let anyone make you feel bad, Katara. You belong at my side."

His hands found hers and he squeezed them gently, placing a kiss on the side of her neck before looking out the latticework of the window. There were two sets of shutters for the windows like there were in Zuko's old suite, one set of solid wood that could be open or shut to admit light or stop it, and the other set had latticework cut into it, in a intricate pattern that resembled fire. Both sets be opened to reveal plain glass panes, which could also be opened to suit the warm weather.

The Fire Lord's hand went up to lift the hook that held the latticed shutters together. He let them swing open and was stunned by the sight. He had never seen the city from this high up, and it stretched before him. Katara heard his soft gasp and looked up to see his face, which held surprise.

"Yeah. I was impressed too." Katara said quietly.

"You saw…?"

"From the balcony. I explored a bit before you woke up."

"Let's see it from the balcony then." Zuko said as he closed the latticed shutters and went over to the balcony, pulling both of the doors open and letting sunlight fill the room. He then turned to Katara and held out his hand, looking at her with a small smile. She took it with a smile of her own.

The balcony was large enough to admit a few people, or if he wanted to eat out here he could have a small table and chair set out. He looked around, taking in what Katara had seen and was duly impressed. Indeed, this view was fit for the person who ruled it. Katara remained at his side, slightly behind him in silence, letting him take it all in.

He had been in his father's suite, but only a few times. Infact he could count on one hand how often he had been summoned up here. Usually when Ozai wanted to speak to him, he had come to Zuko's room or summoned him to the library or some other private place. And he had never looked out the windows. Now he was just stunned at how much he could see from here. There was a balcony in the back of the suite, on the other side of the tower, but he had not looked there yet and wondered just what he would see.

And I am the lord of all this, and more…

Zuko's thoughts were interrupted by a rapping at the door and he went to answer it, getting his breakfast and setting the tray on the bed. He looked up to see her still at the balcony, and beckoned to her. She approached the bed and sat down on one side of the mat.

"Eating in bed… again?" Katara asked in a mock scolding tone, "That's undignified for a Fire Lord!" His words did much to reassure her and she was feeling more comfortable around him, like she had been on the ship. He simply shrugged and picked up an orange wedge before eating it. Katara sat there quietly, reclining back on one of the big pillows.

"Are you hiding from me?" Zuko asked with a small smirk.

"Maybe. You seem to like chasing after me anyway so who are you to complain?" Katara shot back. Zuko smirked before he pounced forward, wrapping his arm around her middle and pulling her towards him, but she lay there uncooperatively, a small smirk on her face. When she had been out in court with Zuko, she had observed the nobles and the upper class and noticed that they, especially Ozai, liked their women meek, but she was glad that Zuko enjoyed her strength. He let out a small laugh before he pounced after her again, successfully capturing her this time.

"Maybe I'll hide once in a while and have you come and claim me." Katara said before Zuko growled playfully and kissed her hungrily. The kiss was so ardent that she blushed, and he saw how her eyes twinkled. His own were twinkling as well and he placed another passionate kiss on her lips before looking down at her with a smirk.

"Here, eat before breakfast becomes cold." she said, pushing the tray at him. He smirked before eating another orange piece and tasting the soup. She lay on the bed with one arm propping up her head as he ate, not asking for any since she wasn't hungry, but Zuko was not about to let her get away with it. He looked down at the food and cut off a piece of cantaloupe before offering it to her. She pressed her lips and shook her head.

"You know I am not going to give up until you eat." Zuko stated firmly. She was silent for a few moments before opening her lips, letting him slide it into her mouth. He ate a few more bites before he asked her to take another, and he went on like this until all the food was gone. He was satisfied with the amount of food she ate. It wasn't that much, but still better than nothing, and he had given her a bit of everything. He would encourage her appetite bit by bit and feed her until he could trust her to feed herself.

And Katara didn't feel sick from the eating like she would before. She had to admit, it was fun having Zuko feed her. The food had not been too much for her and it sat in her stomach comfortably as he poured out some tea for both of them. As he looked down at the cup he was reminded of something.

"Katara…you've been taking the herbs, haven't you?" he asked, wanting to be sure of it. He did not watch her to check that she was taking them and wondered if that was wise. If she wasn't feeding herself, who knew what other ways she might be neglecting herself...

"Of course I have, Zuko." Katara said quietly, and he knew she was telling the truth. He made sure that Sylid provided her with a regular supply, which she drank at the appropriate times.

"Is there anything else you need? Do you require more clothes or money or anything else right now?" Zuko asked quietly. Katara thought for a few moments before she shook her head.

"I have enough for now." she said simply and he nodded.

"If you need anything, all you have to do is ask." Zuko said. She nodded as she sipped at her tea. Yes, she had ample clothing, toiletries and herbs and… Speaking of herbs, when was the last time she bled, Zuko wondered to himself. She had complained once of it on the ship, but he did not recall any such since they had arrived in Sozun. It wasn't that he _counted_ the days or anything like that, since womanly matters were just as mysterious to him as they were to just about any other man, but still...

As she sipped her tea, she counted the days in her head. She had bled on the ship but not here… and she had been supposed to… She kept these thoughts to herself as she sipped at her tea. Was it why she had been feeling nauseous? She finished her tea and held back a soft sigh, hoping it was not what she thought it was…

Zuko slid the tray away and set it on the floor before looking at her. She was staring off thoughtfully, with a quiet expression on her face.

"You're beautiful." he said, meaning every word of it. Katara smiled faintly at him, a glint of appreciation in her lovely blue eyes. He smiled before drawing closer to her and wrapping his arms around her, his lips meeting her own, tasting of her sweetness. She wrapped her arms around his neck, returning his kisses with her own, feeling his tongue slide past her lips and teeth as she freely admitted him. Her own tongue pressed against his, wrestling with it as she moaned into the kiss, feeling him hug her even more tightly.

He never wanted their time together to end, and now it didn't have to. He was the Fire Lord! He had everything he needed right here.

Zuko felt her drape her leg over his hip and he intensified the kiss, feeling his inner fire begin to respond. It was nice to have her want him and welcome him. It felt like the first time to him still, so thrilling it was, that their need for each other had not dwindled at all. And he knew he would only want her more. He would never stop loving her and his fire would always burn for her.

"Mine." Zuko growled softly as he broke the kiss, and he felt her shiver a little. She had her gaze locked on his, and icy blue eyes met fiery yellow ones as he felt her heart beat against his chest.

Katara could not help but tremble slightly as she stared up into these twin pools of gold. He loved her, needed her, wanted her. So when he growled out that word, it simply caused her to shiver in desire. He said it with such…a seductive and hungry growl. What would happen if she used the same word?

"Mine?" she asked softly as she looked up at him. He blinked and nodded with a smirk.

"Always…" he whispered as he lowered his head to kiss her again. There was just something so sensuous about these lips and she started to gently suck on his lower lip.

Zuko moaned softly as he felt this. Spirits above, he wanted her so badly! In the last month, living here, their lovemaking had not stopped, but had in a way become more subdued by Katara who would simply lie there quietly and let him have her. Sometimes she would kiss and nuzzle him and hold him, but he had sensed that she was holding back, because she was afraid and unhappy. And he himself had been miserable as well.

But right now he felt like he could take her all day and night and have plenty to spare. All of his pent up desires came to the surface and he tugged at the sash that held her yukata closed. There was so much the Fire Lord wanted to say to her, but there would be time for that later.

**(HOT ZUTARA SMUT! By now, you know the drill. All the delicious, uncut smut can be found via the link in my profile. Enjoy. Otherwise, read on)**

They lay there together for a while, simply cuddling and holding each other as their heartbeats and breathing slowed down.

"I love you." Zuko said softly, touching his nose to hers as he placed a gentle kiss on her lips. She ran her fingers along his arm and hand gently, watching as he shivered a little.

"I never want to get out of bed, Katara. Not with you in it." he said softly.

"You'll have to get out of bed eventually. And perform your duties." she replied softly, and he nodded quietly.

"At least… I know you'll be here when I need you. It'll be nice having you to come home to." he said with a small smile.

"Speaking of Fire Nation… can… um… can I ask you something?" Katara asked, sounding uncertain.

"Don't be afraid to ask me anything."

"About the war… are you… going to continue it?" she asked. His silence was her answer, and she started backing away, thinking she had angered or offended him. Was he really going to continue the war? She started to feel sick to her stomach again. She didn't want to be with a bloodthirsty Fire Lord!

Zuko held back a soft sigh as her question sunk in. The war. The damned war. A century it had raged on, defining everyone's lives. It had defined his own life. It was constantly spoken of when he was a child, and it was clear that he was expected to carry it on and to finish it if his sire had not, as if it had become some sort of twisted family tradition.

And countless lives had been ruined. Men cut down before they could live full lives. Grieving women – mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, mistresses – how many tears had been shed for the men they loved? And even those men who had survived battle were changed. And of course, there were the innocents who had died. The children, the elderly, the civilians. He had no doubt that soldiers from both Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom had committed atrocities in the name of their kingdoms. Pillaging, raping, murdering. How many innocents had seen the ones they loved cut down? How many children were made orphans?

He could not help but wonder what good all the fighting and the warring over nothing at all had done. If anything, the Nation had become more of an empire. Yes, an empire ruled by one man not held in check by the people or by anyone but himself. One man in charge of… The Fire Empire, for that was what it had become now, and it was something that sounded very odd to him and more than a little disconcerting.

But the fighting never stopped. Even if Zuko won and defeated the Earth Kingdom with the comet, was it really worth it? The balance had to be maintained, as well as the lives of everyone in this world.

Not only that, but in some ways the Nation had become weak. It had become spread so thin, there were only so many soldiers one could have, and he knew that many of its own citizens were tired of the war. He wanted his people to be happy. What the Nation should focus on was not expansion, but stabilization and the maintenance of the resources it currently had..

But it would not be easy. He couldn't just order all the fighting to stop and expect everything to be better. There was little doubt that the Earth Kingdom would not trust him, and he couldn't blame them. And there were those who wanted the war to continue, especially the nobles and the advisers to people like Zhao, for they had everything to gain from a victory and nothing to gain from peace.

It would require a lot of thinking and planning, and sadly, some battles and more loss of lives although he would try his best to minimize that. It would require a lot of negotiating and skillful maneuvering – not to mention shrewd and even underhanded tactics against his advisers and those who would oppose him – to make things work, and it would probably take years before the war was truly and completely over. Nothing worth doing was ever easy, a fact that he himself had learned over the course of the years after the first Agni Kai.

Zuko took a deep breath as he looked at her, pulling her back, hoping she would understand his situation and what he was about to say.

'It won't be easy, Katara. There are many who want the war to continue because they would profit from it, many who will not hesitate to manipulate events for their personal gain. I can't just make the fighting stop as much as I would like to, and there will be battles fought and difficult decisions to make. The Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes won't trust the Fire Nation for a long time. So much pain has been dealt on all sides and it will take a while to mend things between all parties. But yes… as far as I am concerned, Sozin's War is over."


	21. Dreams

**Hot Water**

Chapter XX – Dreams

o0o0o0o

It had been nice spending the whole day without any worries. Now that Ozai was dead and her brother and best friend were free, Katara felt as if she could breathe easy, and she felt more comfortable around the new Fire Lord.

And Zuko looked more relaxed as well and even… happy. It felt nice to be around him, to be with him, to talk to him, to be held by him and not have to think about bad things.

The prospect of living here was still a bit scary to her, but through the day, Zuko had done much to reassure her. He even had her order dinner for both of them, and it felt a little exciting to order someone else to serve her food. She actually found herself missing the days when she would prepare her own meals… she didn't want to become a spoiled noblewoman who had to have others do everything for her. That was her main concern right now, she didn't want to lose herself in all the finery and grandeur that came with being Zuko's companion and hoped that she could reach a solution that could make her happy. She was Katara of the Water Tribe and she had no desire to lose that identity, no matter what Zuko gave her.

Right now she was asleep, with Zuko's head on her bare chest, his arm around her middle. Another bout of lovemaking to end their day, passionate and fierce this time, had given them the kind of exhaustion that felt very good, and they slept deeply, safe and content in the embrace of one another.

o0o

_It was cold. She could feel it on her face, especially her cheeks, and opened her eyes, seeing snow. How had she gotten back to the South Pole? She was on top of a large snowdrift, and in the distance, she could see her village._

_She looked down, seeing her hands covered in the two-fingered mitts that served to keep her people's hands warm but at the same time gave them some freedom to do their tasks. Thick white fur caressed her forehead and ears and she looked down, seeing herself in a soft parka and snow-boots._

_Katara tried to remember how she had gotten here. She knew she was supposed to be in Fire Nation. She supposed she would find out when she got back to the village, and started to walk down the slope, except it felt a little weird. She looked down at herself, trying to figure out why, and noticed that her body was different. It seemed… shorter, even smaller?_

_She blinked and took off her glove, looking at her hand. It was not slender and feminine with tapering fingers. It was small and childish. She gasped softly and touched her face, which did feel softer and rounder. Why was she a child again? What happened? She looked down at her hand again before a larger but ungloved hand took it, and she looked up to see her mother._

_Her blue eyes widened as she looked up at eyes that were the same as her own but tinged with just a hint of green._

"_Mama?" Katara whispered in shock and surprise. She wondered if her soul had been returned to the past, where times were happier. The older woman smiled at her daughter gently even though there was a subtle sharpness to her features._

"_My little iceberg." the woman said, squeezing the girl's hand. Katara could not help but smile, she had always liked when her mother would call her that. Her mother wore robes that seemed to be made out of the sea and snow, in shades of blue and white that seemed to change patterns every time she blinked._

"_What am I doing here, Mama?" Katara asked softly._

"_You belong here, not in the Fire Nation." she said softly, caressing her daughter's cheek. Katara blinked as she looked up at her mother. The woman wore the same pendant Katara did, with the same old blue ribbon that she had also worn before Zuko had fixed it with the silver chain._

_It was just now that Katara realized she was dreaming. But at the same time it felt so real. She could feel the cold wind on her cheeks and her mother's hand around hers. She noticed that the hand was cold, and she tried to pull her hand out of her mother's grip, but the woman remained firm, holding her close._

"_Get out of the Fire Nation." her mother whispered, "You do not belong there. Fire and water do not mix!"_

"_But…" Katara sighed, thinking of the kindness Zuko had shown her. He had proven to her that he did care for her. Hadn't he had her place her own mark on him? She was going to become Fire Lady!_

"_You do not belong in the Fire Nation!" her mother said firmly, squeezing Katara's hand. The younger Waterbender felt the cold more acutely, "Remember what they have done to our people! And it will happen to you! I do not want my iceberg to melt in the inferno!"_

"_But, Zuko…"_

"_He is the Fire Lord! What do you think he will do to you eventually? You've been unhappy since you came to the heart of the Fire Nation and not without reason, you know that. Come to me where you will be safe." she hissed softly into Katara's ear. The tone of that whisper it sent shivers up the girl's spine._

"_My little iceberg. You belong in your element, not his…"_

o0o

Zuko woke up, feeling Katara stir as he heard her soft murmuring. It was the middle of the night, and there was no indication of dawn in the sky he saw through the windows. Pitch black surrounded him, but he knew there was a lamp right over the headboard, and with a small burst of fire he lit it. The light flickered across Katara's twitching form, and he could see an expression of unease on the girls face.

"Tara?" Zuko asked gently, shaking Katara's shoulder carefully. She stirred a little more and moaned softly as he shook her again. Suddenly Katara woke up with a soft cry and sat bolt upright, nearly knocking her head into Zuko's.

"What's wrong?" he asked, placing his hands on her shoulders, rubbing them in a attempt to soothe her. He could feel her shaking, and wanted to comfort her. He lifted her face with one hand to look into her eyes, using his other hand to rub her shoulder.

"Tell me what is wrong." Zuko asked simply and she just continued shaking. It looked as if she was trying to not cry. She suddenly jerked away from him as if he had struck her, and he had to whip out his arms to keep her from climbing off the bed. The bed had been set up properly during the day before and he was afraid she might fall off and hurt herself.

"Katara, what's wrong? Tell me." Zuko asked in a gentle but firm tone as he held onto her squirming form. She moaned softly, trying to push him away, trying to find a way out of his embrace.

"Let me go, I don't want to be here!" she cried out softly, seeming genuinely afraid of something.

"But I want you to stay here with me." he said calmly, and she continued trying to pull away. He held onto her fiercely, trying not to get aroused by her naked body pressed against his own.

"I don't belong here." Katara said, placing her hands on his chest and trying to shove off.

"Yes you do." he insisted before grabbing her hands and keeping her close.

"No I do not! This is the heart of the Fire Nation and you're the Fire Lord!"

"Yes it is and yes I am, and I take you as mine."

"What if I don't want to be yours?"

"I don't care." Zuko said before he could stop himself. He was so rash sometimes… and he could see that the statement startled her when she stopped struggling and stared up at him.

"I don't like the palace!" Katara retorted after a moment of awkward silence.

"Changes will be made." he said placatingly. She said nothing, looking away, her struggles having ceased. But he was smart. He knew she was probably thinking about sneaking away… he knew she still had uncertainties about being here.

"But you will stay here one way or another." he whispered, lifting one of his hands to run his fingers through her hair, knowing it was something that soothed her.

"I can't live here... I don't belong here."

"Please do not make things worse for yourself by thinking this way."

"But it's true..." she insisted. He shook his head, hugging her close. He could feel that she was shaking a little still. What was she afraid of?

"I have my guards here and the ones who frightened you will be elsewhere. You know you don't have to be afraid of these men." Zuko promised her as he gave her a gentle nuzzle. She took a deep breath, managing to calm herself down a bit.

"And I will inform them that you are to be protected at all times." the Fire Lord said, giving her a gentle squeeze. She nodded silently, looking down at the scarlet bedding.

"What if I want to leave?" Could she ever be really happy here? Would this place ever feel like home? What if she wanted to leave? It was obvious he didn't want her to leave…but would he actually bar her?

"I will not allow that." Zuko replied calmly.

"What if you leave Sozun? Am I just to be locked up here?"

"When I go abroad, you will come with me."

"So I'm still your prisoner." Katara said quietly. He narrowed his eyes.

"Why do you have to think in these terms? I won, everything's all right, and we're together!"

"I know you won. It's just…" Katara muttered softly, looking down, "You don't care about my wishes and you won't let me leave." she finished, keeping her stare fixed at the sheets. Zuko sighed softly, trying to get her to look at him by putting his hand under her chin.

"Everyone hates me. And I hate Fire Nation!" Katara screeched, tears falling down her face, "I would be out of here but your stupid uncle caught me!"

"I do not hate you and neither does Iroh. I know that there are people here who do not approve of you being here but I will keep you safe, Katara. Please don't take it out on me, you know I want you to be happy. I'm not someone you have to hate or be afraid of, you know that."

"You won't let me leave!" she protested, "I want to see my home and my family. Even the servants look at me with disdain. I've hated it ever since I came here!"

"I will speak to them, if they cannot stop, then their employment here will be terminated. As for your home? It is right here with me."

"My home is the South Pole!"

"Your home is with me now, you are mine." Zuko said firmly. She whimpered softly and looked down again, shaking her head. She just felt so homesick. She shivered as she felt his lips on her face, kissing away his tears.

"I want you at my side, Katara."

"I know but... but I don't feel like I belong here. Everything's so different. I'm homesick. Please don't do this, I don't want to be a prisoner."

"Then decide to stay of your own free will."

"And what if I try to leave? Will you just lock me up?"

"Not if you gave me your word because I know yours is as good as mine, then I would know you wouldn't try to escape and that you would stay with me."

"That's the same thing." Katara shot back, feeling frustrated and afraid, a lingering effect of her nightmare, "Either way I couldn't leave."

"Perhaps, but I would trust you and grant you more freedom." Zuko said quietly, remaining unruffled as he looked down at her. She stared off in the direction of the windows, not seeing much but not caring either.

"It's not fair. You got to see your home again but you won't let me see mine."

"I have good reason for not letting you go."

"And what is that?" Katara asked, looking back at him, "Is it so much to ask?"

"Because you might not come back." he whispered as he stroked her hair. She whipped her head around to stare at him.

"I never said that! I just want to see it and see my father and grandmother and see that they and my people are safe!"

"Why wouldn't they be safe? I mean, I've called off all the raids and made it illegal."

"I know but I want to see them. They're my family. And my people…"

"Your people are fine and what happens when they refuse to let you go, hmm?" he asked. That was one of his major points of concern, that they would keep Katara in their village and refuse to let her go back to Fire Nation.

"Just like you are doing right now?" she challenged, and he held back a smirk. He did admire her fierce spirit.

"Go ahead and challenge me all you want. I admire your spirit."

"Then I will simply sneak off." She couldn't believe he was doing this. He should understand the feeling of homesickness!

"Not if I have you placed under heavy guard."

"I'll find a way! I can't believe you'd do this to me!" Katara shot back, trying to pull away.

"If I have to, then I will." he replied harshly.

"Please don't do this to me, Zuko."

"Do what? Keep you under my guardianship and protection?"

"What about my family?"

"You can see them later. Or they can come here." he replied. She sighed and shook her head.

"When?" Katara snapped before she pulled away and climbed off the bed, wrapping a blanket around her shoulders. Zuko stiffened a little and stared at her.

"I can send one of my men to bring them here as honored guests." Zuko said. That would take a while, at least…

Katara walked over to the window, staring outside through the latticed shutters, longing for freedom and the feel of the sea breeze on her face. "I just want to visit and see my tribe, and I want to see more of the world! Is that so much to ask?" She had very much enjoyed traveling with Aang and learning new things and experiencing things that would never have been done in the South Pole. She wanted to continue with that and being confined to the Palace ran counter to this goal.

"You can do that here with me." Zuko said, climbing off the bed, although he didn't bother covering himself with a blanket. Katara said nothing, continuing to stare through the window. Why couldn't he understand?

"You have many things that you did not have before, you have a place at my side, you have comfort and security, you have servants who will wait on you hand and foot…"

Katara turned back to him and stared at him. True, she had a good life now, but she still felt as if she didn't belong and she didn't feel completely safe here even at Zuko's side despite his reassurance. She was not stupid and knew how dangerous politics could be, and knew that what Zuko wanted to do would cause many of the advisers and nobles to disagree with him. And her own position as a Water Tribe woman was precarious. Sozun was not her home!

"But you won't let me leave." she said. _To the A__vatar..._ he added silently.

There seemed to be no reasoning with him and she looked back at him quietly, seeing his form in the semidarkness before she felt his arms around her middle. Zuko turned her around and placed a kiss on her lips, his way of asking her to not argue with him anymore. She looked down, saying nothing before he kissed her again, leading her back to bed and helping her climb up onto it.

She looked up at him with teary blue eyes, pleading with him to understand. "I miss my family and my home. I'm so homesick. I thought you would understand what it is like to want to go home but you can't…" Katara let her head drop, letting her loose hair cover most of her face as her tears fell again.

"Please, don't cry." Zuko quickly pulled her back into his lap. She whimpered softly as she felt him squeeze her. Why did she crave his touch and find so much comfort in it even as she was afraid of being here? She felt his hands slide under the blankets and along her bare flesh in a gentle manner, and she sighed softly. She did enjoy being with him and while Zuko was not all that good at small talk, he did give gentle touches and he enjoyed massaging her because he loved the feel of her flesh under his hands and the way she would respond to him.

"I like that." Katara said quietly, and he smiled just a bit.

"I know." Zuko replied and she closed her eyes and let him continue massaging her, slowly easing her down onto the blankets, pulling the one she had around her off and letting his hands slide all along her body. When he rolled her over onto her back, she opened her eyes to stare up into his own.

"Katara, I know how it feels to miss home, but you do not need to worry about your people, they are safe and I want you to remain at my side. I love you and I just can't let you go, not when you mean so much to me."

"I know you love me, Zuko." Katara said softly as he rubbed her stomach.

Despite the women that had flocked to him since his homecoming, women who would gladly lay with him, Katara was the only one he desired. He had always looked forward to coming back to her after a long day and the thought that she was in another place and not waiting for him made him scared. He never wanted that to happen.

"Why don't you explore this place before you're so quick to condemn it? You can explore the library and gardens and anywhere else you please."

"That sounds nice, but I don't want an idle life." She remembered reading the books he brought her.

"Then I will bring in tutors and arrange whatever lessons you want. If you want to be instructed in the martial arts, that's great too."

"As long as it's not lessons in flower-arranging or playing the pipa." she replied.

"Agni forbid. I much prefer a strong woman with spirit. I don't need you becoming like one of these pampered and useless noblewomen out there. I will make sure you work with only the best of tutors."

"I…" the woman sighed a little, surprised that Zuko would actually offer her opportunities usually reserved just for men, "I don't know what to say. I'm actually surprised. Do you really mean it?"

"I do indeed, Tara. Besides I want you to be strong like I am. You won't have to be defenseless, and you won't be forced to rely on your bending skills alone either. And the idea of sparring with you would be interesting as well." he said with another smirk. She laughed a little.

"I really appreciate that." she said softly.

"I am glad that you do appreciate it, and you deserve it." he whispered and she felt his strong arms wrap around her middle and closed her eyes, letting him cradle her.

"Promise to keep me safe?"

"Always and forever…" he said nuzzling her tenderly wanting her to know he meant it.

"Thank you." Katara said quietly, inhaling the spicy scent of his skin. She gently let her lips run along his scar, kissing it.

She was determined go to the South Pole one day, but for now she was content with his promise. She would deal with her situation one way or another and learn how to make things work for her. She closed her eyes as she felt his hand caress her cheek.

"Everything will be okay." the Fire Lord insisted as he looked down at her. She looked away, saying nothing before pulling the blanket over her chest out of modesty. He pulled it back and kissed the valley between her breasts, nuzzling his face between them. She remembered what her mother had said in the dream, that she, the iceberg would melt in the inferno.

"And I'll be here with you." Zuko whispered. She shivered as his fingers caressed her shoulder.

_The iceberg will melt in the inferno__,_ she heard someone whisper in her ear, or at least thought she did. The Waterbender felt a chill up her spine. She shuddered as she quickly wrapped the blanket around herself and let out a low moan.

"What's wrong?" Zuko asked, seeing her shake visibly. She shook her head and tried to crawl off the bed again, only he grabbed her and pinned her to the bed in a gentle but firm manner, ignoring her protests.

"Tell me what is wrong. Did it have anything to do with the nightmare you had? You were squirming and moaning…" he whispered as he continued holding her down, straddling her to prevent her from kicking. He knew she had been in a fragile state of mind the day before, but he thought he had helped her to feel better. Her silence was his answer and he sighed softly, wondering what the dream had been about.

"Tell me." he ordered quietly and she shook her head, refusing to tell him.

"Let me go." she begged but he held firm, remaining on top of her, her wrists in his hands. He lowered his head down to hers so that they were almost kissing. He stared into her eyes, feeling her squirm around.

"Damnit, Katara. What is wrong! We were fine yesterday and I thought you were okay with being here!"

"It's not okay!" she practically screamed, and he was taken aback.

"Please tell me why it's not okay." Zuko said softly, quickly regaining his composure. He could not help but wonder what was bothering her, she had been perfectly fine yesterday, thy had cuddled in bed, made love several times, bathed together, talked about a variety of things and simply enjoyed each other's company. She had seemed to be feeling a lot better about living in Fire Nation.

He stared at her silently for a few moments, trying to think of what could have caused her unease. It had all started with the nightmare… and it clicked in place for him.

"Let me guess… the bitch in the dream told you how wrong it was to stay with me?"

"Don't call her a bitch! She was my mother!" A tear fell down her cheek, and Zuko leaned his head down to kiss it, causing her to jerk her face away.

"How did you know?" Katara asked, eying him warily, her struggling having ceased for the moment.

"I… well… she visited me as well and told me the same thing, pretty much." Zuko said softly. She stared at him. If her mother visited Zuko as well... maybe she was right?

"She has no right to say such things Katara, and I know I can make you happy." he said. Katara opened her mouth but she found out she had nothing to say for a few moments, stunned by his revelation. Her mother had visited Zuko as well? But why? Spirits, especially those of the dead, usually could not do that.

"The...the Fire Nation...killed her…" she said softly. "And I saw it." she quickly looked away, fighting back tears. Zuko stared at her for a moment before placing a tender kiss on her cheek, wanting to comfort her.

"I'm sorry." Zuko said softly, loosening his grip on her and nuzzling her gently, hearing her weep a little, "but you know I had nothing to do with it. If I could have stopped it, I would have. You know that. She may be your mother, but she is as wrong as my father was about us." he continued. Another tear slid down her cheek.

"She should be happy that I'm not my father."

"I know you're not Ozai. It's just…"

"I know you feel out of place here but you are safe here. I love you and I will not allow any harm to come to you. And if her spirit comes to you or me again, we will deal with it."

Katara nodded and placed her hand on his chest, feeling his strong heartbeat under his warm skin. She said nothing, letting her hand slide down his chest before quickly pulling away. He blinked and pulled her back, and she did not resist, wrapping her arms around his neck and nuzzling him gently.

"Thank you, Zuko. I…I really appreciate it."

"I know you do." he whispered as he placed a light kiss on her forehead, wrapping an arm around her. She shivered and pressed against him, her curves fitting against the planes of his body comfortably as he lay his head on her shoulder.

Inhaling the warm scent of her skin, he listened as her breathing slowed down, feeling her pulse when he lightly pressed his lips to her throat.

Truth be told, he wished it would be like this always, but he would eventually have to face being Fire Lord. At least he would have Katara at his side. And after a long hard day of conducting business or holding meetings or court or whatever he had to do as ruler of the Nation, he would have his beautiful Water Tribe girl to go to and share his company and his love with.

The lamp continued burning although it was but a small flame, and he and Katara were comfortably enveloped in shadows and a dark glow. With a wave of his hand he extinguished the flames and closed his eyes, falling asleep again.

Suddenly, it was cold again.

o0o

"_Release my little iceberg." Zuko heard a voice hiss out softly, feeling the raging wind and snow bite at his exposed skin._

"_No."_

"_She does not belong with you." her voice snarled from all around him._

"_Ohh? And who does she belong with?"_

"_Her people. Her brother and the Avatar."_

"_I love her and will die for her. She is safe with me."_

"_She must return to them."_

"_On what grounds? She chooses to remain with me." Zuko said as he tried to pinpoint the woman in all this raging snow._

"_You told her you would not let her leave Sozun!" he heard her scream._

"_You caused it by scaring her." Zuko replied firmly, turning around to look for her._

"_My little iceberg does not belong in the heart of the Fire Nation, not in the raging inferno. I lost my life to the Fire Nation, my children lost their father when he left to fight the useless war, and I refuse to let my daughter be lost too."_

"_She's not lost, she is happy with me, I know it because I see it every time I look into her eyes and hold her and talk with her, I am not my sire. Be gone witch, because I am not giving up the best thing in my life – not to you or to anyone!" Zuko yelled as the blizzard around him intensified. But he stood firm, determined to deal with this thing that was supposed to be Katara's mother._

"_If you loved your daughter, you'd know that I am the best for her, I can offer her so much than anyone else, I take her to be mine and there's not a thing you can say that will stop my decision so go ahead do your worst but I am not like my father or my grandfather or my great-grandfather! I denounce their legacy!"_

"_WATER DOES NOT BELONG WITH FIRE!!!" she screamed as the blizzard intensified and Zuko saw her shadow._

"_My father said the same things that you are saying. Yet Katara and I get along and we are good for one another. We provide each other with support and comfort."_

"_Katara belongs with her tribe where she will serve her people and bear more Waterbenders. To mix fire and water like you want to do is an abomination!"_

"_How utterly primitive to make her a slave just for your tribe and their uses!" Zuko yelled as he blasted fire at the shadow. He seemed to have missed, since the shadow didn't seem to stay in one location. He hated this dream, since he was so cold._

"_You are a impudent and spoiled little whelp!"_

"_If I was spoiled, I wouldn't have stood up to my father's decisions, as for impudent? I don't care what you think nor what the world thinks, the fact is I love Katara and want to be with her and give her the best things in life. It's that simple. Live with it."_

_The blizzard raged around him with fresh viciousness and he heard a soft cry, startling him. Not a few feet away he saw the huddled form of a child, and took a few steps, picking it up, wondering who it was. It was bundled up in the traditional Water Tribe winter clothing, and he was not quite sure who the child was until he saw its blue eyes._

_Katara?_

_He blinked and held her close, rubbing her back to soothe her. Using a bit of his body heat, he transferred it into her, seeing a gentle blush come to her cheeks as she looked up at him. It was the body of her younger self, but he saw the maturity in her eyes. This was the Katara he knew and wondered if she had joined him here from the real world. Which was entirely possible, given how real this dream felt._

"_Give me my child!" the voice screamed at him. He ignored her, hugging Katara tightly, feeling the thick soft fur of her parka against his face. 'Little' Katara whimpered softly, looking up at him with curiosity. She looked so sweet with the soft fur of her parka around her face, and he gave her a smile that he hoped would reassure her._

"_GIVE ME MY CHILD!" the woman screamed, coming closer, her shadow taking on form and color until he saw the woman that looked like a older version of Katara, her blue eyes tinged with just the slightest green. She was beautiful but there was a sharpness to her features and her eyes glinted dangerously, making her seem inhuman._

_He stood his ground, holding onto the little girl, intent on keeping her safe._

"_My little i__ceberg... co__me here." Katara's mother crooned, reaching for the girl. Zuko looked down at Katara, observing her reaction._

"_Come here, Katara..." the woman continued. The young Waterbender looked at her curiously, although she didn't try to wiggle out of Zuko's arms. He felt an immense surge of relief at that and kissed her forehead, keeping her warm as she looked back at him._

"_I love you." Zuko mouthed as he looked down at her. She looked up at him quietly with these big blue eyes of hers that he loved so much, and she nodded slowly._

"_Give her to me!" the woman screamed, her voice howling along with the winds as her nails dug into her daughter's parka, startling Katara._

"_NO." Zuko stated firmly as he hugged Katara tightly, but the woman kept tugging at her daughter's parka insistently. The girl stared at her mother, whimpering softly, and Zuko felt uneasy about the woman. This was no mere spirit of the dead, it was something more._

"_It's cold." the girl whimpered as her mother continued tugging at her. Zuko hit the spirit with a blast of fire that knocked her back. Katara immediately curled up to his chest, enjoying the warmth while the woman kept screaming._

"_Give her to me or I shall make all your dreams a living hell!" the woman screamed as she advanced towards him again. He stood firm, glaring at her, ready to set her on fire again._

In their sleep both Zuko and Katara stirred, murmuring softly.

_The woman snarled, tugging at Katara, managing to get her free from Zuko but only for a moment as the Fire Lord snatched her back. He would be damned if he ever lost Katara, even in a dream. If the woman won, what effect would this have on the waking Katara?_

_Suddenly her face contorted and she snarled at Zuko, revealing fangs as her hands became claws as the sheer force of the blizzard brought him to his knees. But he held onto Katara as tightly as ever._

"_Make it stop!" the child wailed and he held her tightly._

"_Be safe with me." Katara's mother crooned to her._

"_She is safe with me!" Zuko snarled at her._

"_Safe? SAFE?" she screamed, "Ha! We were never safe, none of us, not when the damned Fire Nation kept raiding us!"_

"_Raids that I was never responsible for…"_

_The woman, or more accurately now, the creature snatched up the child and quickly retreated, Katara's wails filling the air._

"_It's so cold, please let me go!"_

"_You'll be safe with me, my little iceberg..." Zuko heard her whisper and he snarled, lunging forward only to be thrown back by a sudden gust of wind._

"_Let me go Mama, please!"_

"_You'll be safe with me in the ice... we'll be together forever..." the voice crooned. Zuko yelled, moving forward again and managing to snatch Katara again. The creature snarled and towered over him, looking more like a rotting abomination that was dragged out of the sea than a beautiful spirit of the water and snow._

"_You shall perish here." The voice was inhuman._

"_If you loved her, you wouldn't do this…" he challenged, "but you're not her mother. You're a monster born of hatred and rage, and I don't know what the hell happened to the spirit of Katara's mother, but you are not her!"_

"_I am her mother! I gave birth to her! It is my necklace she wears around her neck! She belongs with me in the eternal cold! Not in the inferno!"_

"_By your own words you condemn yourself. If you loved your daughter you wouldn't take her into the cold where she would die, you'd let her embrace warmth, so get the hell out of our dreams!"_

_The monster – Zuko had been dead on in calling it that – lunged towards him, but he let loose with a large fireball. It screamed as its robes caught ablaze and he kept feeding fire onto it, watching as her body flailed and burned._

_He hoped that would send the creature onto its way. What it wanted with him and Katara, he did not know._

_The creature's form faded away, leaving what little was left of Katara's mother that the creature had not taken, and he understood finally what happened when he saw the woman laying there in the snow, her robes as white as snow she was laying on._

_He fell onto the ground and gently set Katara down before he cradled the woman in his arms, looking down at her. The sharpness of her features was gone and her eyes were soft. This had to be Katara's mother._

"_I'm sorry." Zuko said quietly._

"_What happened? The fire consumed me and then it was dark, and I felt as if something was devouring me... twisting me..."_

"_I've heard of them. Dark spirits who attach themselves to the souls of those who have died, especially in a painful way…" Zuko explained calmly. Usually such creatures were made of the darkness._

"_It's not your fault." he continued, "You're free now. You can move on to the other side and have the peace you deserve. Just know that I love your daughter and will always care for her."_

"_I just want her to be safe and happy." the woman murmured. He nodded, squeezing her hand. Little Katara crawled closer to the body of her mother and he looked at her, pulling her closer._

"_I know, and so do I." Zuko promised, looking at Katara._

"_Mama?" Katara asked with a soft whimper. Zuko nodded and watched as the woman reached up to touch Katara's face before gently taking her into her arms._

"_My little iceberg." the woman whispered. "I love you, Katara."_

"_I love you, Mama." the girl whispered and her mother pushed back her daughter's hood and stroked her hair._

"_I've been trapped for so long in the cold..." Katara's mother whispered as she looked up at her daughter, hugging her close before she started to turn to snow and blow away in the wind. When the snow was gone, Katara let out a anguished wail that tugged sharply at the Fire Lord's heartstrings and he picked her up, holding her again, trying to reassure her. He understood the loss of a mother all too well._

"_She has gone on to a better place and found peace. The monster that took her will no longer bother us again. I'm here and you're safe, Tara." Zuko said softly._

_The snow and blizzard slowly turned to an inferno and Katara gasped softly, stiffening in fear as Zuko rubbed her back in an attempt to reassure her. Her parka melted away, revealing scarlet robes._

"_I...I won't melt, will I?" Katara asked with a soft whimper as she looked up at him._

"_No, you will not." Zuko said gently as he nuzzled her. The flames intensified around them, but she didn't feel pain. He looked down at her and placed tender kisses along her sweet little face and she lay her head on his shoulder, letting him hug her tight as she stared at the flames that surrounded them._

"_You're so nice and warm." Katara said softly and he smiled a little._

"_I'm always warm." he said softly. She looked up at him with eyes as warm as a summer sky before he kissed her again._

o0o

Katara opened her eyes, seeing darkness and gasped softly, laying there for a moment as she registered what happened. The dream had been… well, she didn't know how to describe it. Had Zuko really shared her dream or was the Zuko she saw merely a figment of her imagination?

Moving carefully so that she wouldn't wake him, she rolled over onto her side, curling up under the sheets and fingering her mothers necklace, feeling tears come to her eyes as she remembered that part of the dream where she had really seen her mother and not whatever had been controlling her. She wished she had more time before her mother left…

She curled up in a fetal position, touching the cool pendant, closing her eyes again and holding back a sigh. It seemed almost surreal to have dreamed about that, and add to that all the things that had happened to her in the last year…

She heard a soft moan from Zuko but said nothing, remaining stock still, hoping she hadn't woken him up when she had moved away from his body.

Zuko opened his eyes, feeling his heart pound just slightly as he realized he was now awake. He let himself lay there in the darkness and silence, processing the dream and what it happened for a bit, meditating over it before he smiled faintly. The spirit of Katara's mother was now in peace and he didn't have to worry about nightmares for himself or Katara.

He lay there for a bit more until he realized that Katara was not curled up to him anymore and started to worry until he heard soft breathing. His body scooted over to hers and he let his lips trail along her shoulder gently before placing a firm but gentle kiss on the side of her neck as he pressed his chest to her back, wrapping his arm around her middle.

"I love you, Tara." Zuko said softly as he kissed the side of her neck again.

Katara couldn't help but smile a little as she felt him spoon up to her even more tightly, sharing the warmth of his body with hers as he pulled the blankets up.

"I know, Zuko." Katara said quietly as she felt him kiss her behind her ear. She lifted his arm off her and rolled over so that she was facing him, and smirked a little as she felt his hand slide down her back to her rear end, pulling her close.

"Are you all right?" Zuko asked softly as he kissed her forehead.

"I guess so…"

"It's alright." she felt Zuko squeeze her a little, "your mother…"

"What was it you said about the dark spirits?"

"It's a tale that's somewhat popular in Fire Nation. These spirits usually attach themselves to people who have died in violent deaths…" although he had to wonder how one of these spirits attached themselves to a Water Tribe woman. He had thought it was just a Fire Nation phenomenon, though if these evil spirits followed the Fire Nation armies, the these spirits must have welcomed the opportunities for new victims...

"Oh."

"Don't worry, Katara. I got rid of it. Your mother's all right now. She's safe, and so are you."

"Thank you."

"I just want to see you happy, and at least you got to speak with her one more time." he murmured. She closed her eyes, feeling his warmth wrap around her.


	22. Familiarization

**Hot Water**

Chapter XXI – Familiarization

o0o0o0o

The dawn-light poured in through the open balcony doors and the latticed window shutters, filling the room with warm scarlet hues that were only enhanced by the thick red rugs and tapestries on the walls as well as the red marble and upholstery on the elegantly-made furniture. Slivers of gold danced along the walls while sharing their warm glow with the rest of the chamber, including the bed, where its two occupants slept soundly.

The female occupant was the first to stir awake, and she slowly opened her eyes, taking in the room and her position. She lay there quietly for a few moments before looking to her right where the other occupant of the bed lay.

Zuko lay quietly on his side, the scarred half of his face completely hidden against the thick soft pillow, and the Waterbender studied him for a few moments. He had such handsome, regal features and in this position, without seeing the scar, she could imagine him without it. Not that she thought the scar was ugly, but once in a while, she could not help but imagine him without it. She couldn't help but admire the smooth and defined plane of his nose and jaw, and his soft lips which were at that moment parted just so slightly, devoid of their usual smirk or scowl.

She had seen paintings in the halls of the Palace of the more notable ancestors of the Fire Lord lineage, namely Sozin. There were in fact three large paintings of the infamous Fire Lord placed prominently around the Palace, and she couldn't help but wonder if there was a painting of Zuko somewhere around that was made before he received his scar. Probably not. But it didn't really matter much to her, for it was just a musing thought, one that would soon be forgotten.

Zuko would probably move these paintings elsewhere, or just take them down later on when the time was right. She understood that he would have to move carefully, make his decisions with everything in consideration, and calculate everything thoroughly. He would have to deal with the frequent input of nobles, advisers, and Fire Sages. Frankly, she did not envy him and knew from what she had learned of Fire Nation history that Zuko was the youngest person to ascend the throne on his own… _ever_. There had been a couple of Princes younger than he who inherited the throne when their fathers died, but regents had always taken the place of active duty. Not so with Zuko, not even with his uncle. The scarred young Firebender's word was law.

Most of the Fire Lords did not ascend until they were in their thirties or even forties and fifties, being given more and more responsibilities throughout the years before their coronations by their predecessors as a way to prepare them, which did make sense to Katara. She knew that even though Zuko had been groomed since childhood, he still had a lot of work ahead of him. Thank goodness Iroh was around to help him.

Her eyes slowly moved from his face to his shoulder and down his arm, which was draped across her middle. Her body was mere inches away from his own, but she could still feel his body heat. Her gaze slowly moved back up his arm and to his shoulder, traveling along his collarbone and the top of his chest. Well-toned and smooth-skinned, Zuko had an excellent physique, one that she knew he took care of well, and of course, she did enjoy looking at it and snuggling up to it. Mmm!

Tentatively she brought her face closer to his, placing the barest of kisses on his lips before laying her head back on her pillow. Surprisingly, Zuko's eye fluttered open but she said nothing, staring at him quietly.

"How long have you been watching me?" Zuko asked quietly. Katara blushed and looked away before she heard him chuckle softly.

"Sh. It's alright, Tara. I like watching you when you sleep, too." the Fire Lord replied quietly with a small smirk on his face as he touched Katara's chin, making the girl look back at him, "Did you like watching me sleep?" he asked. She smiled and nodded. Zuko responded by placing a light kiss on her lips, savoring her presence.

Zuko had broken another tradition – although no one knew it but Iroh – in deciding that Katara was the one for him. In time, she would be crowned Fire Lady. The practice of concubinage was rampant among the nobility, and the rest of Fire Nation society was not that much better. In their teens, twenties, and beyond the nobles often had their fun and games. Hell, it was practically expected of them. Even after the nobles chose wives to bear their children and run their households, they often took mistresses. The concept of soul mates, two people bound together and made just for each other and no one else, was the stuff of fairy tales and romantic ballads.

Even after his mother had been made the Royal Consort, his father had kept his odalisque. If not for the contraceptive herbs that were standard use, there would no doubt be lots of brothers and sisters for him and he was glad that there were the herbs to prevent this effect. But still, the fact that he wanted her and only her, and no one else for the rest of his life would have raised a ruckus among the nobility if they knew, especially since Zuko wanted her to be the mother of his heir later on. Frankly he couldn't imagine a better wife for himself, even if he couldn't crown her yet. The Fire Sages would have to choose an auspicious day for such an event, and it would be better for Katara to be a bit older – and more experienced – before taking on the title and rank as Queen of the Fire Nation. It was at times like this that Zuko wished he could simply forgo all formality. But even the mighty Fire Lord could only break so many rules.

The two of them had already discussed it, and Katara understood her position to others. In title and public she was Zuko's pleasure-companion, but both of them knew that she was much more than that, the rules of Court be damned. The marks they now shared was evidence of that. Just understanding and knowing that was enough for Katara, and helped her to feel better here. Zuko was grateful for her perceptiveness and acceptance. It was one of the things that made him love her more, the fact that she understood the various things he had done or would do and did not criticize him for them.

Katara closed her eyes as she felt gentle kisses being rained along her cheeks and jaw. She stared at him through half-lidded eyes, letting him say good morning to her in his way. It certainly was nice, sleeping in a large and comfortable bed amidst silk sheets and receiving the adoration of a handsome and loving man, one of the most powerful men in the world.

She trusted him. She believed it when he said 'I love you' to her because he had always been honest with her, no matter how painful the truth was. And she had come to understand him, learned how to read his subtle gestures and body language in a way that nobody else could, and in short, not be afraid of him anymore or see him as a enemy. Yes, she was afraid of Fire Nation, but not the Lord. Zuko had promised to keep her safe, and she knew from personal experience that he was a man of his word. She would make the best of her situation here, and would work on gaining his trust enough to be able to see her family one day.

The young Azure Consort let out a low moan as he started kissing along her neck and collarbone, and she rewarded him with a warm grin..

"And a fine morning to you too, Zuko." Katara whispered. Zuko smirked a little before kissing her lips again.

"It's nice to wake up like this." she said, feeling his arm squeeze around her middle, pressing their bodies flush against each other.

"Of course it is." Zuko replied as she gave him a kiss of her own. He smiled and kissed her back. In no time the two of them were fiercely kissing and nuzzling their partner, inhaling each other's scents and tasting each other's faces and lips. After what seemed like hours, the two of them slowed down, catching their breath, looking at each other quietly. A hint of a smile crept across Zuko's face and Katara smirked at him.

"You're smiling, my Lord."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not!"

"I saw it in your lips. Don't deny it. You liked what we were just doing."

Zuko smirked and then placed a sound kiss on his lips before starting to crawl off the bed.

"Hey, where are you going? This big bed is so lonely without you." Katara said, reaching for him. He blinked and took her hand, kissing it before starting to get dressed, putting on a loose robe, hakama, and slippers, all in a deep shade of crimson.

"I will be right back, Tara. I promise." Zuko said as he kissed her hand again before leaving the suite. Katara sighed softly and stayed in the bed, snuggling up under the blankets, staring up at the ceiling before she heard the door open again a short while later. She sat up and blinked when she saw that the Fire Lord was carrying scrolls and papers in his arms. Zuko looked at her and then back at the papers in his arms.

"I know this is a day of mourning, but I want to get started on the most urgent matters before I actually get crowned, or otherwise I'll have too much waiting for me." he explained calmly. She nodded.

"How long will you be?" Katara asked. He shrugged.

"No more than a couple of hours, I hope. I just want to look through these documents without these damned advisers breathing down my neck…"

"I can't blame you for that." Katara nodded.

"I'll be in my study if you need anything. Go back to sleep if you like. When I'm done, we can do something together." Zuko said. She blew him a kiss. His eyes sparkled with delight for a moment before he offered her a small smile, and she grinned back at him warmly.

She slipped out of bed, picking up her crimson yukata that she had left draped across the back of a chair the night before when Zuko had taken her to bed, and put it on before going over to the small but elegant apartment where her vanity had been set up. She had been assigned the Royal Favorite's apartment. This was a small suite leading off the Fire Lord's bedchamber, occupied by any concubine lucky enough to favored by the Fire Lord so much that she was kept in constant reach by being placed in this apartment for however long her Lord wanted her.

Ozau generally didn't use this chamber, preferring to have the apartment to himself. Perhaps the Fire Lord feared one of his concubines might hide something in there to strangle or harm him with, so it had been locked up after Honored Consort Ursa's death. But now, even though Zuko said that the Waterbender was to remain in his bed, he wanted her to use this small apartment as her meditation or relaxation chamber, to decorate as she pleased. She liked that she was to have her own private space to decorate and reside within. She had already envisioned furniture upholstered with blue velvet, and Water Tribe hangings... a little haven when being in the Fire Nation was overwhelming.

There was a large, sunny front room with a lovely view, with several small, plush pieces of furniture and a low table to play games or eat a meal upon – clearly for just the Fire Lord and his favored concubine – and several potted plants placed here for her from the royal gardeners. After that was a modestly sized bedchamber, though there was now no bed in here and the room would be Katara's vanity and dressing room, and then a small but elegant washroom.

The day before, Zuko had given her a most startling gift… his mother's wardrobe and vanity. Katara had been surprised when the servants had brought up a mahogany armoire and a drawer set complete with a full-length mirror and a matching seat with a red velvet cushion. These things had been in storage since the former Consort's death, and Zuko thought it was about time they were brought out again. And who better to pass them to than Katara?

She had moved some of her things from her chest into the armoire for better organization and had been pleased. The set was exquisitely crafted, and she ran her fingers along the surface of the drawers before going to the window and sitting there for a while, gazing outside as the sun rose fully over the horizon. Her stomach started growling softly, so she rose to her feet and went back to her vanity, opening a drawer and removing a gold comb and a red ribbon she planned to use to tie her braid back.

Katara didn't look in the mirror, so she was surprised when the comb was taken from her hand. She blinked and looked behind her to see a pale hand hold the comb. It was too slender and feminine to be Zuko's. Her eyes moved up the hand and the red-clad sleeve to see a woman's face. It took a moment for her to register that it was Hana. What was she doing here?

"Give me my comb please, and what are you doing in here?"

"I am here to help you, my lady."

"Help me with what?" Katara asked, slightly confused. She had never had anyone wait on her personally, and the only time she ever had maids attend to her before Zuko became Fire Lord was to dress for whatever event Ozai was throwing, or a night out in the city with Zuko. She never learned these women's names and they were usually different every time, faceless and interchangeable. Generally, she had remained silent around them. Of course, now, as mistress, more would be expected of her.

"I am your lady in waiting." Hana said simply. Katara looked at her face, reading her expression. It was friendly and polite, without the slightest hint of condescension or distaste. Katara and Hana regarded each other silently for a few moments before the former concubine smiled at her.

"Don't worry, Katara. I am here to serve you and provide you with whatever you need. I will do your hair now."

"No no no. It's all right, really. I can do my hair. I'm fine." Katara said, reaching for her comb and sliding it from Hana's pale fingers.

"I have been chosen to be your personal attendant. I am your lady in waiting. " Hana repeated, taking the comb back.

"I don't need one."

"I have been instructed to take care of you. I have my orders from the Fire Lord himself." Hana explained, and Katara sighed softly. So that's why the woman was up here. Katara stared at her quietly. Her hair was pulled back in a simple bun and she wore not a maid's uniform, but something else that spoke of a higher position. She had on a red silk robe that terminated at the knees, and black pants with matching slippers. The robe had fire sewn into the sleeves and hem with gold thread in a simple but elegant pattern.

"Don't you have anything else to do?" Katara asked. The lady-in-waiting shook her head.

"Are you...just going to follow me around all day?" Katara asked. She nodded with what the Waterbender could have sworn was an amused smile.

"Shoo!" Katara insisted, but Hana shook her head stubbornly.

"I am to stay here and serve you until the Fire Lord dismisses me."

Katara held back a groan and sat there, looking at the mirror as Hana did her hair, combing it and then plucking up a few gold pins and a comb with fire designed on the top like the combs many Fire Nation citizens wore. Katara had idly left these on top of the vanity after organizing her things, and Hana put her hair in a simple but elegant-looking bun, much better than the Waterbender herself would have been able to do on her own. At least she did good work…

"Now will you leave me alone?"

"Not until Zuko dismisses me. He was clear with his orders."

She blinked when Hana went to her wardrobe and opened it, looking at several robes that were hanging, pulling each out to look at it for a moment.

"Hey! Why are you going through my things!" Katara asked with a soft cry of protest. Hana blinked and looked back at her before giving her a friendly smile. It would have been a lot worse if this woman was like one of the condescending maids, but she seemed to want to genuinely please Katara.

"I am here to help you with your clothes and hair, assist in picking out appropriate outfits for different occasions, maintain your wardrobe, and have your meals brought to you. I will also do errands for you and in short wait on you and serve your needs, or arrange for other servants to attend to various tasks as needed. I am also to give you instruction on Court manners and teach you anything you need to know, and make sure your day-to-day activities are coordinated."

"But... I can dress myself and…" Coordinating her activities? _What?_

"I didn't say you couldn't, my lady. I am simply here to help and serve you so your life here will be pleasant and run smoothly."

"But why?" Zuko had never said anything about her having an attendant. Granted, she knew she would have servants, but having never been a noblewoman before, she was clueless to the notion of a personal attendant.

"Because the Fire Lord requested it. I have sworn my loyalty to him and I am glad to serve you as well."

Katara nodded, seeing a way to get rid of Hana at least for the moment while she processed the situation.

"Please go get me breakfast. I want something light. Tea, warm spice rolls and butter, and hm… an orange."

"As you wish, my lady." Hana said with a graceful bow. Katara stared at the mirror, seeing her hair done up and held back a sigh. She really didn't like the fire comb sticking out of her bun, for it made her look like a Fire Nation woman. She _wasn't_…

She heard Zuko stop Hana before she left the suite and order breakfast for himself as well. Katara got off her seat and stalked into the study, seeing Zuko reading one of the documents. The Fire Lord looked up calmly, seeming to even be glad for the interruption. The large mahogany desk was littered with the papers and scrolls and she didn't envy him for having to go through all of them.

"I don't need Hana." she stated simply.

"Hm?"

"I do not need a lady in waiting. I can take care of myself!" Katara said defiantly. Zuko leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms and holding back a smirk.

"Now, there is nothing wrong with having one. You need and deserve it."

"She wouldn't even let me comb my own hair!"

"That's her job." Zuko said with a shrug and she crossed her own arms.

"But why? I mean you know I can comb my hair and dress myself and everything. I took perfectly good care of myself on the ship and here."

"Yes you did, but it will be easier with Hana attending you. You are now a lady, and this is different from the life you had before." Zuko replied. She shook her head.

"I don't want things easy. I don't want to be pampered."

"It will be better." Zuko insisted, "Just accept. I chose her for you. Is something wrong with her?"

"No, no…Hana's nice but I don't want someone coming up here and dressing me and combing my hair every morning like I'm a child."

"There's nothing wrong with having an attendant. My mother had one. Several, infact. And I would bet you a stack of gold coins that every single noblewoman here has at least one personal attendant."

"You dress yourself don't you? So why cant I?" she retorted. He held back another smirk.

"Why do I have a lady in waiting all of a sudden? You know I am fine. I don't need help!" Katara said, fighting the urge to stomp her foot.

"There's nothing wrong with someone helping you do things like this, and it is expected. You're now a noblewoman and you will find that having a personal attendant to help you with your needs will help a lot especially if you have a errand you need done, if you want to send out messages, or if there is something you need to obtain. It's not that bad, Katara. I know you can take care of yourself, but you'll see how valuable having an attendant is." he said. Katara pouted at him. He would not admit it to her, but he liked it when she had that fire and determination in her eyes. It even turned him on.

"It is!" she insisted, placing her hands on the desk, "I'm not a little girl!"

"You don't need to be angry. I chose Hana for you because you need an attendant."

"Humph! Ican't even comb my own hair and see what she did!" Katara said, pointing to her bun and gold pins.

"I think you look beautiful."

"That's not the point!" she grumbled, "Then she started going through my wardrobe..."

"That's part of her job, to pick out clothes that are appropriate. I chose her for her knowledge. She will share it with you."

"But... why? Aren't the choices I make good?"

"They are indeed but sometimes it's wise to have a second opinion. Especially on formal occasions."

"Then how about I pick out your clothes?" she shot back challengingly, and he held back a soft laugh.

"I would not mind at all." Zuko replied calmly. She blinked, taken aback for she had been expecting him to protest.

"Then maybe I'll choose out something light and dainty from my wardrobe. Hm, how about my light blue silk robe, the one I wear to bed? Or perhaps the kimono with the gold flowers?" Katara asked with a smirk. Zuko arched his eyebrow.

"I want to comb my hair and pick out my clothes." she stated defiantly.

"What about the formal occasions? You can't get an obi around your middle on your own. Or do your hair in the elaborate styles." Zuko smirked as he observed Katara's reaction. She took her hands off the desk and sighed softly as he stared at her.

"Let's make a deal, Katara. Hana will come by every morning to see if you need anything. You can dismiss her anytime you like. But for the important occasions she and others will help you. Alright? And besides… I thought you might appreciate a female companion?" Zuko asked. Katara stared at him for a moment.

"I mean…well, on the ship you were the only girl. Then here you didn't get to interact with others much besides me. I thought you'd appreciate a woman around. I'm not asking that you take Hana as your friend. But…well, I thought you might appreciate female company when I'm not around? And I know what Hana did for you. I felt her the best candidate for you unless you have a problem?"

She stared at him silently.

"There you go. Just give her a chance." he remarked with a small smile. She paused then nodded before going around the desk and wrapping her arms around his neck, causing him to smile and squeeze her back.

"It's not that I don't appreciate you caring for me. I know you just want what's best for me but remember I am not a little girl or a spoiled noblewoman."

"I know and I like that." Zuko replied before she touched her nose to his, causing him to rub his nose against hers.

They looked up as a gentle knock was heard, and Zuko called for Hana to come in. She bore a large tray, and Zuko beckoned her to put it on one corner of the desk. She bowed and did so before standing there, waiting for a other command.

"That will be all. You are dismissed." Zuko said and Hana nodded, bowing again before leaving. He got up and pulled another chair to the side of the desk, a clear gesture for Katara to have breakfast with him. She sat down with her food and ate quietly as he read the papers, eating his own food.

He eyed her with approval as she ate her entire meal without being encouraged by him to do so. She had a certain grace about eating her food that she had always had and he couldn't help but admire her. She may have been born into the Water Tribes but she was more graceful than any Fire Nation woman. He simply wanted her to have the best, she more than deserved it…

o0o0o0o

The night before

He had many things to do and even more decisions to make. Talking about Katara about her position as concubine made him remember the other concubines. He had no use for them as pleasure slaves, but he couldn't just let them languish with nothing to do. He was certain that with what he would offer them they would be grateful. He would give them their freedom and a choice.

Katara had just retired to bed, and he planned to go to her as soon as he was done with this. He didn't even bother to knock as he entered the concubine's wing. This was his Palace. after all.

They all looked at him apprehensively. It had been almost three days since anyone had spoken to them besides the servants who brought them food, and they had been wondering about their fate.

"You're all free." Zuko said simply as he stood there in the front room of the suite, looking at them all dispassionately, "I have no use for you."

The women stared at him silently, registering what he had just said.

"You have two options. I will not force you to go back to your families or whoever sold you. You can either stay here and become part of the regular staff, or you can accept a sum of gold from me and leave the Palace to start new lives for yourselves."

The women sat there for a few moments, processing what he had just said.

"You do not need to decide yet. Think about it for tonight." Zuko said, turning around and stepping out of the room.

He walked down the hall, barely noticing when the door opened again, but paused as he heard footsteps scurrying towards him. He paused and turned around, seeing that it was one of the concubines. This one seemed familiar and he stared at her face in the semidarkness when it hit her. This was the woman he had spoken to the night that Katara had wandered over to the concubine's suite.

"Yes?" Zuko asked politely.

"I…well, I just wanted to say thank you." the woman said, bowing her head. He nodded briefly.

Hana was truly grateful for the choice Zuko had given her. She had no desire to go back to her brother, who would most likely sell her off to someone else. She was only his half-sister, the daughter of a wealthy and widowed Fire Nation noble and his young mistress who had both died not long after she was born. Her brother was already almost twenty-five years older than she, and he had never cared much for her. He was off in the army, arranging for her care in the hands of others, and she had only seen him a few times throughout her childhood. She had no personal feelings or affection for him, and she knew he felt the same. When he had given her to Ozai, she had been saddened, but not surprised.

The Fire Lord stared at her quietly and studied her, forming a flame in his hand so he could study her features more closely. There was something more than recognition in these features. She was indeed very lovely, but there was something about the shape of her nose, her cheekbones, the color of her eyes…

"Is something wrong, my lord?" the woman asked, not daring to move away from Zuko's analytical gaze.

"Your name."

"Hana." she replied.

"And your family name?"

"…Zhao." Hana said softly, and flinched when Zuko's expression darkened for a moment. She knew her brother wasn't a well-loved person, for the servants and nurse who had taken care of her while she was growing up had often spoken of him in hushed tones. They had been none too fond of him and were glad for the fact that he was away almost all of the time. It wouldn't surprise her if Zhao had done something to annoy the new Fire Lord although she had to wonder why. Her brother loved power, so having Zuko upset with him wouldn't be smart, right?

"I'm sorry, my lord. I have nothing to do with my brother and whatever he might have done. I have no affection for him at all." Hana said quietly, hoping Zuko wouldn't connect her with her brother's behavior.

"I should hope not." Zuko replied in what sounded like a curt tone.

"I really do not, I owe him nothing and I will swear my loyalty to you. I'd rather be here than at home. Do you wish for me to disavow him?"

"Do you really mean that?"

"Yes I do. I have no reason to not give my loyalty to you. You just gave me my freedom."

"Then you are welcome to stay."

Hana nodded before getting to her knees and bowing to him.

"I swear my allegiance and service to you, my Lord."

Zuko nodded and bade Hana to rise, a new thought coming to his head.

"Would you also swear the same thing to Katara?" Zuko asked and Hana blinked and nodded.

"Would you have any reservations at all to serving her personally? She needs a personal attendant, and one to teach her what she needs to know about life here and manage her affairs. And I can see that you're not a commoner. You've been raised as a lady."

"Yes, I am of noble blood. And I would have no reservations at all, my Lord." Hana said. The Fire Lord could see in her eyes and voice that she meant it.

o0o0o0o

Zuko and Katara ate together quietly as he looked through the documents. The girl's eyes moved to the papers curiously before her eyes flicked back to her own food, unsure of whether she should be looking at his business or not. Zuko noticed and shook his head.

"It's all right. You can look at the papers if you want, but you must promise that you will not tell anyone that I let you look, okay?" Zuko asked. Katara needed no explanation as to why. She nodded before taking a bite of her bread.

Zuko muttered softly to himself as he read the papers. Many of them were petitions from various citizens to see him in court or meet with the Fire Lord privately. Others were tax or trade agreements, and so on and so forth. He had a list in his mind of a million and more things to do and knew it would not be easy, but he was now Fire Lord. He had a duty to himself and the nation.

He had to maneuver carefully. There was no way in the nine hells he could declare the war over and expect the advisers and nobles to not jump all over him. He knew Katara would not tell anyone, and he was glad he could trust her.

The former Fire Lord was no fool, and Zuko had to admit that he had ruled the Fire Nation with a strong hand. The acquisitions his father had made during his reign was impressive, and the Fire Nation, once a group of islands over a century ago, now held roughly half of the lands in the world. New Fire Nation cities sprung up in areas that had been under Earth Kingdom control and were now strong and prosperous, furthering the Nation's hold on these lands. As much as he didn't want to admit it, his sires had been strong rulers.

But he would be stronger than them. He had to find a way to maintain balance, between himself, the Fire Nationers who wanted to continue the war, and the Earth Kingdom. It was not going to be easy but he would do it. Agni had chosen him for a reason and he was not going to disappoint the Fire God.

Katara ate quietly and left the desk when she was finished. He continued reading the papers, getting an idea of the current affairs of state and deciding on what to do about them.

She wandered over to the balcony, gazing out idly at Sozun. The sight still impressed her and she held back a sigh as she saw all the metal ships in the harbor. It still amazed her that metal could actually float. Even after her time with Zuko she was still impressed by the products of the Fire Nation. It was all just so... sophisticated to her, and her own tribe seemed so primitive compared to all of this. She felt strange at this thought, as if she was betraying her own people and becoming more like Fire Nation.

No! She refused to let that happen. She was Water Tribe, period. And it wasn't as if Fire Nation was perfect. It was Fire Nation that had started the war a century ago. It was Fire Nation that practiced concubinage and treated women so poorly. It was Fire Nation that saw no problem with seeing others as inferior or causing destruction and taking other people's things as their own. She vowed to herself again that she would not let herself become lost here.

She felt hands gently slide along her hips to her stomach and looked down, seeing pale fingers intertwine with each other as she felt his arms squeeze her gently as warm lips pressed against her temple.

"My beautiful Tara." Zuko whispered as he kissed her along her earlobe. She closed her eyes and leaned back against him, feeling him squeeze her a bit more tightly. His hands were placed right across her womb and she looked down at his hands again, holding back a soft sigh.

Katara was worried to how he might react if what she thought about herself was indeed true. She hoped that he would not be angry with her. She had taken the herbs like she was supposed to, perhaps they were more effective for Fire Nation women. Frankly she was scared, of the consequences and of herself. She had been through a lot lately, and it would only make it even harder on her body.

_Sedna, help me please_ Katara said as she closed her eyes, feeling him kiss along the side of her neck.

She was not ready to be a mother and Zuko sure as hell wasn't ready to be a father. He had so many responsibilities already, and he certainly didn't need another one piled on him. He had business to take care of, a situation to assess, reins to take hold of, a Nation to rule. The last thing he needed was a child. He himself was barely out of childhood!

"Hello, my lord." Katara said quietly, "I thought you were looking at the papers?"

"All finished."

"So how was business?"

"…Eh." Zuko said with a shrug. She smiled.

"But at least now you can make things better." Katara whispered as she turned around to face him, feeling his embrace keep her close. He smiled and placed a kiss on her forehead, hugging her more tightly so that his body was pressed flush against hers and she smiled, batting her eyes at him. Zuko smirked down at her and gave out a short growl, its meaning all too clear to her. She looked up at him with a faint blush on her cheeks, knowing full well what would happen next.

"Now aren't you glad you dismissed Hana? Since you're going to take off my clothes and my hair..." she gestured to the gold pins, "will just get messed up."

Zuko smirked as one of his hands went up to caress her chest, a soft layer of cotton separating his flesh from hers, and she closed her eyes and let out a low moan.

"And when we're done, I'll dress myself and comb my own hair." Katara declared, wagging her finger at him.

"You're still having a attendant." Zuko said, wagging his finger back at her. She wrinkled her nose and blew a raspberry at him.

"What am I going to do with you, Katara?" Zuko asked in a mock miffed tone, placing his hands on his hips.

"Hm, let me think." Katara said, taking on a thoughtful expression and tapping her chin as he looked at her with lust-filled eyes.

"Play Pai Sho with me?" Katara asked with an innocently mischievous grin. Zuko raised his eyebrow and looked down at her before he suddenly scooped her up in his arms. She squealed in delight as he did so and he smirked, spinning her around a bit.

He gently tossed her on the bed, hearing her giggle as she landed on the comforter with a soft _fump_ before he pounced on her, making short work of her clothes and smashing his lips against hers. With one hand, he pulled the pins and comb out of her hair, letting her hair fall down in thick waves, combing through them briefly with his fingers as he smirked down at her.

"You really like my hair down so much?" Katara asked, her eyes twinkling. Zuko continued smirking as he nodded. She was a goddess, even more so when her hair fell around her face in thick and loose waves.

"You look stunning like that." he whispered, placing a kiss on her cheek, his hands moving to remove his own clothes. Katara shivered when he finished, eying the well-toned body.

"Like what you see?" Zuko asked with a seductive leer. She nodded before he kissed her fiercely again, plundering her mouth with his own. After he pulled away, she was literally gasping for breath.

"Mine." Zuko growled, his eyes gleaming with his hunger for her.

"Well then, sate yourself." Katara whispered with a soft blush on her cheeks. She didn't think she would ever get out of the habit of blushing, and Zuko seemed to like the blushes so she wasn't embarrassed by the warmth in her cheeks. The Fire Lord gazed at her but for a moment before he eagerly took her invitation.

Their lovemaking was wild and playful, rolling across the bed, fiercely touching and kissing each other until they lay on top of the comforter, a tangle of limbs and beating hearts.

The two of them said nothing for a while, simply basking in the afterglow before Katara opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him. He gazed at her intently and she wondered if he had been staring at her the whole time.

His lips descended on hers again, except this time the contact was gentle as he let his lips linger for a while on her own, savoring her delicate taste. He reluctantly pulled back a bit, propping himself up on one elbow and looking down at her. She reached up with one hand to explore his face, letting her fingers run along his chin, lips, cheek, and finally up to his scar, feeling the thick and smooth skin under her fingertip. He stared at her through his bad eye for a moment before closing the scarred eyelid, leaning his head into her touch.

When she touched him like that, he felt whole. When he felt her fingers gently touch and caress his scar as she would any other part of his body, treating everything the same, he did not feel ugly or marred.

Course, he could not articulate in words, since he was not that kind of person who shared such deep emotions. But he didn't have to say it…Katara understood. It was one of the things he liked about her. She did not need to listen to silly love songs or poetry or any of that other stuff that he considered nonsense. She valued the silence between them as much as any gentle words that he did give her as much as he did.

"I love you." Zuko said quietly, looking down at her with his good eye. She smiled as she cuddled close, enjoying a satisfying morning with him.


	23. I Am The Fire Lord

**Hot Water**

Chapter XXII – I am the Fire Lord

Kudos to those of you who get the reference to a awesome book in this chapter (the same book that was hinted at in the 'Agni's Kai' chapter) Also, be sure to check out Volcano, which is the third installment in the Cold Fire trilogy, and serves as an exciting alternate ending/addition to Hot Water!

I would like to take a minute here and thank everybody – old or new readers – that have been enjoying this revise of Hot Water.

o0o0o0o

Katara looked down at her bowl, quietly eating her noodles. Today was a big day for Zuko and she knew he was nervous. She could only imagine how it would feel to face these crowds, and after having Zuko to herself for several days, she was loath to be parted from him. But now, without Ozai around she didn't have to be scared of being left alone. And there was Hana, who had proved herself to be a more than suitable – and enjoyable – companion.

But she would miss him nonetheless. The last three days for her had been pleasant, with all the time she spent with him, getting to know him better and relaxing without any worries on her shoulders. And she had been eating better for the last two days, needing little encouragement to do so. And she had him to herself, since he did not have to appear at Court. How lovely that was.

The young Water Tribe girl still felt strange here, but she reminded herself of who she was with and the promises he had made her. She would always miss the South Pole, but at least she wasn't some tortured prisoner here. She would simply have to make the most of what was offered her and hope to adapt, and without Ozai around, she could relax.

She set down her chopsticks and watched as Zuko finished his cup of tea before their eyes met. Blue eyes met gold ones in silence, and they sat there for a few moments, finding strength in each other's presence.

"How do you feel?" Zuko asked.

"Good, actually. But I'll miss you while you're gone."

"You're not going to." Zuko said calmly. Katara blinked and stared at him. Had he decided to add another day to the immediate mourning period?

"Are you done with breakfast?" he asked. She nodded, and he made a motion with his hand. She turned around to see Hana.

"Prepare Katara." Zuko said.

"Yes, my Lord." Hana bowed her head.

"Wait a minute, what's going on? Prepared for what?" Katara asked nervously, whipping around to face Zuko again. He simply glanced at her calmly.

"You're coming with me."

"I… coming with you? But I thought I was to remain…"

"No, Katara. You will accompany me." Zuko said. Her eyes widened as she swallowed nervously. She had no desire to be seen by all these people and be among them…

Zuko seemed to sense her unease, because he looked up at Hana.

"Go to her vanity and wait for her while I talk with her." he said. The attendant left, going to Katara's rooms. Katara sighed softly as she looked up at him.

"I don't know if it's a good idea, I mean this is your coronation not mine, what will the nobles think?"

"You are my companion and you will accompany me. You will not be required to speak or do anything else, so you don't have to worry. And you will be guarded. I want you at my side. It is only fitting that I have my consort with me. It will also help impress onto them that you're here to stay when they see you dressed as one." the Fire Lord said, his tone brooking no argument. She sighed softly and looked down, bowing her head.

"Very well."

Zuko paused before getting up and going to Katara's side, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Tara. Look at me." he commanded in a quiet but firm voice. She lifted her chin, looking up at him.

"I want you there because I need you. I want to know and feel your presence near mine. I will feel more comfortable knowing that you are there. This is a big day for me, and I want you to be part of it. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good. Do not worry about your safety. There will be guards accompanying us. Now go to Hana while I get ready." Zuko said as he placed a light kiss on her cheek, lifting his hand from her shoulder.

Hana was waiting for her, having already chosen an outfit. It was laid out neatly on the vanity and the Waterbender stared at it for a moment before shaking her head.

"Is something wrong?" Hana asked.

"The clothes…They're too flashy. I want something more low-key." Katara said as she looked at the clothes. The robe was one she had not worn before, it had been part of Zuko's mother's belongings before it was passed down to her. It was beautiful, red and gold worked in an intricate design, with snakelike dragons emerging from flames. The obi and pins that had been laid out with it were made of gold as well. She was comfortable with red, but gold was too much for her. Ignoring Hana's protests, she went to her wardrobe and selected another robe, one she had worn briefly on the ship.

It was the dark red one with the black roses along the sleeves and hem, and felt more tasteful for her. It had an understated elegance that suited her tastes better and would attract less attention. She pulled out a black obi as well as lacquered pins and a simple matching comb, turning back to Hana.

"This is what I wish to wear."

"Are you sure? The red and gold is more befitting of… such a grand occasion."

"I do not think you made a poor choice, but I feel that this robe is more elegant. It fits my tastes better and let it not be said that I dress for attention. I've seen how some of these noblewomen dress." Katara stated firmly. Her attendant looked like she might protest, but she simply nodded.

The Waterbender then removed her pajamas, putting on the silk undergarments Hana set out for her as well as the under-robe, her heart pounding with trepidation as she thought of the coronation ceremony. She stood there, letting Hana dress her in the formal robe and put up her hair. She closed her eyes, letting the maid apply a small amount of makeup. Katara opened her eyes and stared at her reflection silently, liking the outfit. She didn't look so flashy, but she still looked very elegant, and the deep red set off her mocha skin, and the black gave her an quiet elegance that was lacking in lavish gold threadwork. The finishing touch was a fire-comb that had been worn by Zuko's mother and grandmother, its possession by Katara signifying her new role as the Imperial Consort.

A couple of days after her arrival in Sozun, Katara had her name placed into the Imperial Records as the concubine – the first – of Prince Zuko. It was standard practice that each family have its own family records, and in noble records, concubines were often recorded, especially if they bore sons. But the day before, on a pleasant tour of the Temple of Remembrance, Katara had been surprised to be brought before the Imperial Record Book – a heavy red leather volume bound in gold. There were several of them – representing various eras or periods within the history of the Fire Lords – and this was the current one. Fire Lord Sozin had thought to start with a new Record Book so that he would be first in this particular book. The first part of the book was indeed an impressive record of the former Fire Lord. But as Zuko brought her before this book, she was surprised to learn that she would be recorded as the consort of the Fire Lord. It was only a step in becoming Fire Lady, and he wanted to make her status official. As the Imperial Honored Consort – the highest rank there was beside Fire Lady – there was no woman in the Nation more powerful than she was.

At least, that was what Zuko had told her. Head Sage Shyu – released from the dungeons after Zuko's accession to the throne – had greeted her warmly and told her what a pleasure it was to see her again. At least there was one more person she knew could count on for support. Hmm. She frowned thoughtfully as she glanced at the mirror.

"Is my lady pleased?" Hana asked. Katara nodded.

"Yes. You did a very good job." she replied. The attendant looked genuinely pleased and grateful for the compliment.

The Water Tribe girl looked at her reflection in the mirror again, seeing Zuko behind her. She turned around, stunned by what she saw. He looked every bit the Fire Lord he was, with a robe that was done in several shades of crimson with a gold fire pattern along the chest and shoulders. His topknot was pulled back with a golden comb and she stared at him quietly, taking in the magnificence of the Fire Lord.

"You can take your leave, Hana." Zuko said. The attendant bowed before she left.

"You… look… wow." Katara said quietly, taking in the sight of the Fire Lord. Zuko smiled just a little before he approached her, his hand reaching out for hers. She let him have it and felt his fingers wrap around her hand.

"You look stunning, Tara." Zuko said softly, looking down at her. He was again struck by the familiarity of the robe and its rose pattern, but pushed it away from his mind.

"Thank you." Katara said, keeping her head bowed. He touched the underside of her chin with his fingers, lifting her face up. She looked beautiful with the tasteful amount of makeup Hana put on her, and he was glad that she was no longer wearing the ghostly-looking white paint.

"Let's go." Zuko said quietly.

The coronation plaza in front of the Gates of the Rising Sun was almost literally jam-packed with people, and with not much surprise, Katara noticed that there were plenty of middle class citizens among the nobles as well as some higher-ranking military officers. She swallowed and kept her eyes forward, keeping several paces behind the Fire Lord, flanked by two of her own personal guards.

Iroh stood near the splendid golden throne, and made a subtle gesture with his hand for Katara to stand beside him, which she gladly did. Other than Zuko. She made no eye contact with anyone else and stood beside him as Zuko walked up the steps to the throne. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw several scribes, scrolls and brushes ready to write down Zuko's words.

The Fire Lord sat on his throne, his eyes slowly moving across the people that were packed into the plaza. He could not wait to get out of here even though his father's funeral awaited him.

_I am the Fire Lord._

This is what he had been raised for. This was what all of his lessons came to.

Sitting at a desk, scrolls, papers, and books spread out in front of him, seemingly as far as the eye could see and stern tutors lecturing him and bombarding him with questions. Hunched over his desk, working on his calligraphy, poring over old texts, trying to absorb and understand everything he read, the wisdom and words of Fire Lords past.

Grueling martial arts and Firebending lessons, hearing his teachers drill and shout out instructions as he sparred with men older than him, repeating exercises and sparring seemingly countless opponents until he felt utterly worn out, flopping in his bed with aching muscles late in the night.

Long days in court, trying to keep himself from fidgeting as he sat and listened to endless meetings, war strategies, Fire Nation policy, the passing or nullification of laws and edicts, trying to keep track of who said what and what meant what.

Some nights he had heard all these voices until he fell asleep.

And now he sat on the Dragon Throne.

He said nothing for a few moments, coolly gazing across the sea people. There would be people who wouldn't want him to be the ruler, but one couldn't make everyone happy. He had proved himself by defeating Ozai in the Agni Kai, and that if anything sealed his succession to the throne. There were different ways to die and different ways to ascend the throne, and his way was the surest, because he had proved himself stronger than Ozai. Countless eyes had seen him in the Agni Kai, and nobody could deny his victory.

Zuko remembered a long time ago when Katara had suggested that the Avatar help him. It had been a good idea and he had seriously considered it, but that would have caused too much trouble, too much doubt. Doing this by himself helped to prove his worth.

Everyone was staring at him, and he felt uncomfortable under all of this attention, but he did not show it one bit. To the massed throngs he was calm, cool, and collected, as if he had been ruling the Fire Nation long before anyone else had.

Almost as if he was a puppet, he felt himself rise from the throne, barely feeling his own body stand on its two feet. He felt light headed and very much grounded at the same time as he barely registered his surroundings, inhaling the warm summer air as he felt the sun on his face.

_I am the Fire Lord. The blood of the Fire God flows through my veins. He has chosen me. I will not disappoint him._

The words poured out of his mouth easily, and he did not halt or stumble across his words once.

"The Fire Nation will become better and stronger under my rule!" Zuko stated loudly, knowing what he would say. He had thought about it many times during the mourning period, knowing he had to choose his words carefully to keep the people pleased and excited while promising nothing about continuing the War. "I will make it so that nothing can defeat Fire Nation! We are a proud people of a proud element, and under my rule I will ensure that nothing can ever snuff out our fire! We shall always burn brightly!"

_I am the Fire Lord. Heir to Agni's power. I will restore the honor of the Nation. _In his mind's eye, he saw a single, shining golden thread stretched out in front of him, and behind him, a considerably shorter length of this filament. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. The darkness surrounded him, but the thread glowed, and he was unable to see where it ended in front of him.

As he spoke, the words flowing from his lips, he was barely aware of his surroundings. The vision of the golden thread comforted him. As he concentrated on it, it widened, becoming a path. Within this path, he saw images. Behind him were the images of his childhood, but what stood out the most was his first Agni Kai, his relationship with Katara, and his last Agni Kai. But in front of him, the path was blank. The darkness brightened a bit, and he saw various images surrounding the path, as if trying to step onto it. There was conflict, battles, disputes. His future as Fire Lord would be fraught with difficulties.

But if he followed the Golden Path and maintained his course, he would lead the Fire Nation out of the darkness. He opened his eyes. The darkness disappeared, but within his mind, he still saw the shining thread. It would not be easy to stay on it, but doing so meant the survival of the Fire Nation and the world.

o0o0o0o

The rest of the day was a blur. He had delivered his grand words and promises several more times to loud cheers as the Fire Sages crowned him before the ceremony was over, and he was ushered back into the Palace. Then there was a tedious and long meeting where the advisers tried to 'catch him up' on the affairs of the state.

What the hell, did they think he was ignorant? But he said nothing and faked innocence and interest in what they were saying, gauging them all and how they spoke to him. Some of them he really did not like, like Kougyo. The adviser remained civil to him, but Zuko could tell by his subtle body language that he hoped to manipulate the 'young and impressionable' man. He was after all, only seventeen, the youngest Fire Lord ever. Zuko held his tongue, knowing that now was the best time to remain silent. He kept his thoughts and assessments to himself, vowing to himself that when the time was right he would choose more competent advisers that had the Nation's best interests at heart than their own.

Some of them had been advisers for a long time and had obviously been chosen for their pedigree and like-mindedness to Ozai, believing themselves superior to everyone else. This was the last thing the Fire Lord needed, this kind of mentality. This was what caused the war to go on as long as it had without offering any sort of peace or seeking out any other solution besides seeking the complete submission and/or destruction of Earth Kingdom.

He nodded, keeping his face blank as he listened to everyone and their ideas. Damnit, he was Fire Lord and these men were talking to him like a little boy! Some of them were not as patronizing, and he noted their names carefully. He had seen all of these advisers at one point or another before when he sat in through his father's meetings, but they had not talked to him directly. Now that they were, he could make a better assessment of their character and value. Some of them seemed to have the interests of the Nation at heart more than their own personal wealth and power, and for that he was glad.

Finally, the chattering voices came to an end. At least for now. In front of him was a new pile of papers and scrolls.

"Leave me alone." Zuko said harshly, having gone beyond the point of caring at how they would interpret his tone.

"But, my Lord…" Kougyo said, stepping forward.

"I said, leave me alone. I will look at these papers myself. I don't want to see you until the reception tonight."

"I…" the head adviser said in a beseeching tone, almost like a child – a comical effect given his advanced age.

"Go!" the Fire Lord snapped, pointing to the door. A guard stepped in front of Zuko to reinforce the Fire Lord's orders.

Finally, he was alone. He knew Iroh was upstairs with Katara, spending a few quiet hours together before the reception. He took a deep breath and looked down at the papers in front of him.

"Do you need anything, my Lord?" one of the guards asked.

"Just see to it that I am not interrupted." Zuko said as he looked down at the papers.

Several hours later, the buzzing of voices surrounded him again and the aroma of gourmet cooking floated through the air. He looked around coolly, taking in the entire banquet room and the gardens beyond. Nobles, generals, soldiers, and servants milled around. A tray of finger foods passed under his nose and the servant holding it bowed her head, waiting for him to decide whether he wanted something from it or not. He shook his head and the girl moved on.

Already, he could see several nobles coming his way, and he held back a sigh. They, like the advisers thought that they knew what was best for Fire Nation when they were just securing their interests and power. He heard flattery and charming words, designed to work themselves into his favor.

_Guess what. It's not working, you fucking sycophants. This has gone on long enough. Things will be very different and you won't like it, but you'll deal with it._

But he simply nodded and accepted their compliments, pretending that he liked their ideas and suggestions. He was no stranger to Court politics, and planned to take advantage of it while working on his own plans in secret. Just as he had done with the advisers, he observed everyone he spoke to, and also observed them speaking with other people, making his assessments of them all.

Quite a few people looked over his shoulder, and he turned around to see his Waterbender. She made no eye contact with anyone, not even him, and at her shoulder was Hana, dressed nicely in a moderately lavish red and gold robe that was appropriate for a noblewoman of Hana's modest rank. Behind them were Iroh and a few more guards. Zuko looked at his uncle, and the older Firebender gave him a slight nod. He nodded back and looked back at Katara. She had her eyes fixed vacantly somewhere over his shoulder as if she was afraid to make eye contact.

He heard one of the nobles clear his throat, and turned back to the man. He was middle-aged, around his fifties, and was one of the more powerful noblemen of the royal houses.

"I have a daughter who's sixteen, certainly you've noticed her before?" the man asked. Zuko kept his face blank. Yes, he knew who the girl was and her name. She was an attractive girl whom he had seen a few times before, but her attractiveness was strictly from his objective point of view. Her face and body were well-proportioned, and since nobles so often judged on beauty, she was valuable to her father.

"She would be so very honored to serve you, my lord." the man said with a small smile, gesturing with his hand in one direction. Zuko turned his head that way, seeing said girl with a couple of others near her age, chatting amicably. She looked up – apparently she had responded to a cue from her father – and bowed her head, batting her eyes and smiling prettily at him.

_My own consort is standing right behind me and you pull this shit on me?_ Zuko thought incredulously. He fought the urge to incinerate the man on the spot for this subtle but well-placed insult to Katara.

"Yes, I have seen her before. Thank you for the offer." Zuko said neutrally. The man beamed with obvious pleasure.

"She is yours whenever you want her." he said. Zuko didn't want to know what Katara was thinking as she listened to this.

"Ahem. This is Zuko's coronation reception and he has been rather busy today and has even more work ahead of him. I do not think that he is considering idle pleasures, for he has a duty to his country." Iroh gently interrupted. Zuko felt an overwhelming surge of gratitude for the old man, although the nobleman didn't seem too pleased. Everyone was well aware of Ozai's disrespect for his elder brother and had followed the former Fire Lord's steps. This was something that the current Fire Lord vowed to remedy. Uncle was worth a hundred of any of these men! The nobleman eyed Iroh with cool disdain, something that Zuko, Katara, or Iroh did not miss, although none of them acknowledged it.

"My uncle is right. I have a lot of work and catching up to do." Zuko said calmly, "I feel that right now it is in everyone's best interest that I handle the affairs of state first."

All the nobleman could do was nod as if he agreed with Iroh, and he bowed out, letting another man eagerly step into his place.

As Zuko talked with other men, he noticed Kougyo at the other side of the room with a young concubine near him. It was a bit hard to tell because of the white face, but the girl looked rather young. Was that supposed to be some sort of joke? Kougyo looked like he was old enough to be the girl's grandfather. Great-grandfather even. Who sold their daughter to that man? The girl looked as if she had just barely had her first monthly cycle and Zuko had to stop himself from shaking his head as he listened to the nobleman drone on. Something about ships and production… he had stopped listening completely a while ago and was now thinking about what decisions he had to make for the Nation.

There were several other concubines around, but none with so much an age difference as the head adviser and his concubine and the Fire Lord could not help but feel sympathetic for the poor girl. He longed to look at Katara, to speak with her, to be with her, but that was out of the question right now. The voices of the nobles grated on his ears, and he longed to listen to his Water Tribe girl's dulcet tones. The absence of Zhao was marked, though it was within reason that the Admiral had not arrived in time. _We'll see,_ Zuko mused, pondering his inevitable confrontation with the much-loathed man.

Katara said nothing, seeking the safety of a dark corner to hide in. She knew no one here but Zuko, Iroh, and Hana and was glad that her attendant was with her. A few of these noblemen she could barely attach names to, but that was it. And there were so many damn people!

She longed for the familiarity of her village, where she knew everyone at least by their name, and had never felt threatened among them. Her people played no social-climbing games, and though no one was perfect, the village never played these… stupid games like these Fire people did. And now she could not even go back home. That was a crushing feeling indeed and she felt a stirring of resentment towards the Fire Lord for the situation he had placed her in.

Her hand reached out to grab a goblet from a passing tray, tasting wine. At least it was cool, she needed something refreshing instead of all this warm food. She looked around, looking for a place to duck into and noticed that this room had two sets of double doors that opened outside. Ah, thank the spirits.

Sticking close to the wall, she maneuvered her way outside, taking a deep breath of the late afternoon sky. It was nearing twilight and she welcomed that, for the nights usually became cool, and today had been rather warm…

"Are you well, my lady?" Hana asked quietly.

"Yes." Katara said simply as she sat on one of the benches, sipping her wine while two guards stood near her. She would rather have her teeth pulled than go back in there among all these people. There were just a few people out here, and no one spoke to her. She welcomed being ignored and showed no indication that she was aware of the curious glances that were shot her way every so often. She didn't have to be told that she was also being talked about in hushed whispers.

For Zuko, the rest of the gathering was tedium. He understood the value of networking, but wished there were better people to network with. Their words faded into meaningless chatter and he always responded appropriately to them while he had entirely different thoughts running through his head. He didn't eat much as he was so busy talking, and was grateful when the last hour struck.

There was one more part of today he had to finish, and then after that… he could finally sleep. He had been on his feet most of the day and longed to simply lie down. He vowed to himself that he would only hold these parties when it was really important because frankly, he had no desire to be pandered to as if he was a child or go through meaningless motions again. He understood the value of tradition, but some things were just…

He shook his head as he strode outside past the servants that were at that moment cleaning up, and saw Katara sitting on the bench next to Hana, looking out at the koi pond quietly. She looked sad. He held back a sigh, pausing in his steps for a moment, looking at her silently.

He waved Hana away from the seat and sat down next to her.

"Did anyone bother you or insult you?" Zuko asked. Katara shook her head quietly, slowly fanning herself. The fan she had matched her outfit, with black lacquered ends and red silk.

"Did you have enough to eat?" he asked. She nodded.

"Are you feeling okay?" The response was another nod.

"I guess being in that room with all these people was too much for you?" Zuko asked and she nodded, still looking down.

"I can't say that I blame you." he said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, the moonlight making her azure eyes luminous.

"Let's go. The night is not over quite yet." he whispered as he squeezed her shoulder.


	24. Ashes to Ashes

**Hot Water**

Chapter XXIII – Ashes to Ashes

o0o0o0o

The usual custom upon the death of a Fire Lord was cremation, as befitting a Firebender, as well as the ruler of the Fire Nation. Often, he was cremated in a public ceremony, but there was a private funeral plaza for lesser royals, favored wives or concubines, and for those wishing a private interment. As seeing that the previous Fire Lord had already been immolated in the Agni Kai, Zuko thought it best to forgo a public funeral.

The plaza was already prepared, and the Fire Sage stood to the side solemnly as the current Fire Lord and his small entourage walked through the Gate of Celestial Purification. Seating had already been set up, and the white silk-robed corpse of Ozai lay on the top of the pyre, ready to be cremated proper. A square of silk was also placed over his head, to hide the hideous, seared skull that remained of his head and face. Around his body were proper offerings to be burnt – tokens, paper money, charms, bolts of silk, food, and the like that would keep one comfortable in the afterlife.

Katara followed Iroh's cue, taking her seat on the left cushion in the first row while the older Firebender sat at the cushion to the right. Behind them, several very high-ranking noblemen and courtiers, Ozai's former concubines, and a few royal relatives sat. None of the women wore the white make-up that was a mark of their former rank.

As she sat there, waiting for the Sages to begin the funeral rituals, she caught a whiff of something in the cool night air, and sniffed delicately, catching the scent of kerosene.

The Fire Lord slowly walked up to the pyre, staring down at his father, his face a cold mask devoid of emotion. The Sages watched silently, waiting for their new king as he stared down at what was left of the former ruler.

Ozai's hands, unlike his face, were intact, only slightly burnt due to clawing at himself as he tried to extinguish the flame that was devouring him. Aloe had been rubbed into these hands to make them nice and as smooth as possible before being powdered to hide the blemishes that the burn left on his hands. No cosmetic expertise could restore any semblance of normality to the face, but the Fire Lord gingerly lifted the cloth that covered his sire's features. What was left of the face was charred skin burnt onto the skill, charred teeth revealed in a hideous grin that caused Zuko to shudder.

The odor of kerosene amidst the incense that burned around the corpse tickled his nostrils and not in a pleasant way. He remembered the last time he smelled a body that had been treated with the special mixture of accelerant used in cremation…

o0o0o0o

Ten Years Ago (Year 2 of the Reign of Fire Lord Ozai)

_The face of Lady Ursa was calm, almost as if she was asleep. She was adorned in a simple red robe, free of adornment but made from the finest silk, and her hair had been combed out carefully, framing her face in thick black waves. Her hands were folded neatly across her stomach, the hands soft and pale, the fingers finely manicured._

_Zuko longed to reach out for her, to touch her, to beg her to wake up. The smell of kerosene tickled his nostrils and he didn't know where it was coming from, there were so many candles in here and he knew that candles didn't need additional fuel to burn. Despite the incense that burned, the smell of the fuel was overpowering to him._

_He didn't quite understand why his mother was just laying there. Three days ago, she had been fine. He had walked through the garden with her, they had played Pai Sho together and then he had lay with her in her bed, being held by her and inhaling the faint but sweet scent of her skin as she whispered gentle words into his ear, telling him what a wonderful boy he was and how much she loved him._

_The next day he did not see her at all, and no one would tell him where Ursa was. Another day went by and still no one would tell him. And now… she was here? Why wasn't she moving? He looked around at the other people in the room, trying to find an answer in their faces. Uncle Iroh simply sat there, looking very somber, even more so from the simple black robes he was wearing, with only a hint of red from his underclothes, and the red armor he wore seemed out of place against the robe._

_Why didn't someone tell Mother to wake up? Maybe he should be the one to do it. After all she was his mother. He started to get up, but Iroh quickly reached out and pressed down on his shoulder._

_All they could see was Ursa's body and Ozai's back. Zuko wondered if the Fire Lord would wake up his consort. So he sat there and waited._

_The Fire Lord raised his arm, and a stream of fire burst forth, engulfing his mother in flames._

_Zuko shot from his seat, letting out a piercing, anguished wail._

o0o0o0o

"My lord?" Iroh asked kindly, "Are you all right?"

"Yes." Zuko said stiffly before he took a step back. He slowly raised his hand, bringing forth a fireball. Its light flickered across his hand and arm, and across Ozai's body as well. Making sure that he was standing a safe distance from the body, he shot the fireball, watching as the body went up in a huge blaze.

o0o0o0o

_His screams filled the air as his mother's body burst into flame, and he ran towards the pyre, only to be grabbed by his uncle. His cries increased as he struggled against his uncle, reaching for the pyre and calling out for his mother. The Sages simply stood, saying nothing, not even looking at him._

"_Make that boy shut up!" Ozai roared, spinning around to glare at his son. Iroh's hand clamped around Zuko's mouth and his struggles slowly subsided even though tears came down his face freely. The young Prince stared up at his uncle. The older Firebvender shook his head slowly as Zuko let out a soft sniff, and he put his finger to his lips, motioning for silence._

_Zuko slowly turned his head, watching his mother's body burn down. Normally it would take a body much longer to burn, but the special process done before cremation made the burning much faster._

_Mother…_

o0o0o0o

Zuko watched as his father's body burned, his face hard while deep inside emotions swirled around furiously as they had done the night after the Agni Kai.

He went to his cushion and sat down between Iroh and Katara. Taking a deep breath, he cleared his mind of all emotions like he would during meditation and barely noticed his father's burning body. His eyes became half-lidded and his breathing slow and regular, his hands folded neatly in his lap as he prayed to Agni silently.

o0o0o0o

_The young Prince was on his knees on his bedroom floor, sobbing softly. As soon as he had left that... horrible yard where the cremation took place and went back to his room, he just broke down and cried again. Why did that happen to his mother? Dimly, he remembered Grandfather Azulon being burned, but he had been just five at the time, without any real comprehension of death. And his baby sister was the barest memory, one day she was there and then she was gone. But this was the first time that Death had been **real**._

_The door opened and he flinched, fearing that it was his father come to punish him for crying like that, but when he felt the gentle hand on his shoulder, he knew that it was not._

_He looked up at the kind face of his uncle. His black hair was streaked with gray, and there were a few wrinkles in his face as opposed to Ozai's lean and smooth face._

"_No one ever old you, I see. That was wrong of my brother." Iroh said quietly as he picked Zuko up and gently deposited him on the bed._

"_Told me what?"_

"_Your mother…is dead."_

_Dead? Dead was a word for when you would never see them again. His mother couldn't be dead! She looked fine! She was sleeping and then Ozai had set her on fire…_

"_Your mother has gone on to a better place." Iroh said gently, "She died three days ago."_

_That's why he couldn't find her. But…why hadn't anyone told him?_

"_I'm sorry no one told you, I don't know why." His face was laced with such sadness and pain, it seemed as if he might cry at any moment, and it looked as if he had aged a score of years._

"_You must be strong, nephew."_

"_Strong?" Zuko whimpered._

"_Your father is without a doubt displeased with your crying. I don't blame you for crying, but you must not do it anymore. You have to be strong. You are Prince of the Fire Nation and its heir. Be strong." Iroh repeated firmly before he stood up and looked down at the Prince._

_Zuko sat there silently for a few moments, processing everything that had happened in the last few days, swallowing his anger and grief. Yes. He would be strong. He would be Fire Lord one day._

"_I will be strong, uncle." His small hands clenched into fists as he swallowed his pain. "I will be strong."_

o0o0o0o

It was on that night that Zuko had cried for the last time, burying his emotions deep inside of him, taking great care to never show them. Ozai had come to him later that night, giving him a stern lecture, telling him that he had disgraced himself and his family with his behavior, without even telling him why he had never been told of his mother's death. The Fire Lord had not offered one whit of comfort to his son, not one kind word or touch to try to alleviate the boy's pain.

Zuko had been only seven years old. From that day on he vowed to not be weak. Emotions were for the weak, he kept telling himself.

At least, until he fell in love with Katara. Then… he had someone that he could show his emotions to. He had never shown such emotion, not even to his uncle. He had never thought that he would find someone to trust in such a way. And Katara showed him that emotions did not mean weakness.

He stood up, stretching his legs. Ozai had been reduced to ashes, ashes that would be properly interred later. The nobles were escorted out of the Palace City by the guards, while the former concubines returned to their wing. Zuko, Katara, and Iroh were the last ones to remain. None of them spoke at all, each wrapped up in their own thoughts. It was very late at night now, and all of them were very tired from the long day.

"Good night, Uncle." Zuko murmured quietly.

"Good night, nephew." Iroh said, bowing before he left. Katara silently followed Zuko up to the royal suite, feeling safe once she went past the doors. She had hated the reception and the ceremony! And being in that enclosed courtyard with a flaming corpse… felt weird.

She understood what it was and had maintained proper decorum the entire time, but it still felt weird anyway. Iroh had told her what Zuko would do with his father's body. Iroh would be cremated when his time came – though, since he was such a loved relative, he might have a grand ceremony rather than the quiet one that his brother had – and so would Katara, for she was the consort of the Fire Lord.

That put her at ill ease. Part of her was honored that she had enough position to have her death marked in such a way, but what of her people? She wanted to be buried by her own people, have them say words over her and send her body into the sea to return to the ocean's embrace, not be burned and have her essence sent up to Agni.

Katara went to the bathroom, splashing water on her face to wash off her make-up before she undid her hair and took off her robe, folding the clothes neatly and putting them away before putting on a red linen robe suited for this warmer weather.

She noticed Zuko had done the same thing she did, his Imperial robes now gone, and he wore loose black hakama and a red shirt.

"Good night, Zuko." Katara said softly as she made her way to the bed. He nodded.

"Good night, Katara." he said, simply standing there. Katara paused and stood there for a moment.

"Aren't you going to bed?" she asked and he shook his head.

"Not right away."

"What will you do?"

"I'm going to meditate." Zuko said before he headed off to his meditation chamber.

o0o0o0o

Zuko silently strode into the small meditation room that led off his study. The royal suite truly was impressive and had it a kitchen, the apartment would have become a household onto itself.

The low table and candles stood in front of him and with a slight hand movement he set the wicks ablaze before he took a deep breath, sitting down on his cushion and staring ahead for a few moments before closing his eyes.

He was not sure how to feel about seeing the body of his sire burn on the gold pyre. Part of the reason for this ritual was to free the soul from its flesh, hence the burning, and send that soul to join Agni. Dimly, in the back of his head, he morbidly wondered if Agni would accept Ozai. Or his grandfather or great-grandfather. Those three men had hurt countless people, both distant strangers and their own family members, he thought bitterly, recalling the tale of poor Kuzon.

Part of him still felt saddened, as he had been since the night of the Agni Kai, for after all, Ozai had been his father. The other part of him, he wouldn't exactly label as _happy_. It could more accurately be described as a sense of relief, of release, even _freedom_.

A sense of freedom that he had been waiting for so long. But it was not just him that had a burden lifted off his shoulders. It was Iroh and Katara, and in time, the Fire Nation as well. He had replaced the old burden with a new one, the responsibility of Fire Lord, but the new burden was one he was glad and honored to carry.

He took a deep breath, going into his relaxed state, seeing the flames in front of him in his mind's eye turn into a steady flickering of red, almost like an heartbeat.

o0o0o0o

Three Years Ago (Year 9 of the Reign of Fire Lord Ozai)

_The red banners in the arena fluttered in the gentle breeze, and the sky was completely devoid of clouds. But the boy's mood, and the mood of the spectators, did not at all match that of the weather._

_Tears were streaming down his face and he begged for mercy, pleading his loyalty to his sire and the Fire Nation._

_The dark figure loomed over him, the features gone in the harsh shadow cast by the glaring sunlight. The gold comb in its hair glinted in the light as he lowered his face to look down at the boy._

"_Pain and suffering will be your teacher."_

_The boy's eyes widened as the dark figure pointed its fist at his face. There was a flash of red, and then searing agony, red and white bursts lancing through his face all the way back to his head and he screamed._

_The pain, there was so much __**pain**__, his fingers clawed at his face, feeling raw skin, bits of flesh came off under his fingers._

_Then everything went black._

o0o0o0o

His breath came out in slow measures as the candles flickered. The only thing he heard was distant footsteps and soft murmurs. It seemed as if these noises were a hundred years away, coming to him as a distant echo.

o0o0o0o

_He could not feel his arms or legs, and it was so dark. He wondered if he was dead._

_How had he died? Why? Were these murmurs the voices of the souls of the departed? Dimly he was aware of a weird sort of throbbing pain on the left side of his face, and he tried to raise his arm. He couldn't feel anything else, and he didn't even know if he was standing, sitting, laying down. Maybe he was floating. Or the souls of the dead didn't feel their world as the living did._

o0o0o0o

The candles in front of him slowly danced, the flames expanding and contracting with the pace of his breathing. He could feel the faint heat on his face.

o0o0o0o

_A hand was touching his face. And it hurt. He whimpered softly and turned his head._

"_Oh good, now he's responding." an unfamiliar voice murmured, but the hand continued touching the left side of his face, where it hurt. A lot._

"_Stop touching me."_

"_I am simply putting aloe on you. You need it….very badly, my Prince." the voice continued. Zuko moaned softly._

_Aloe. The goo from that plant was used for burns. Burns. He shivered as he concentrated on the man's touch, feeling stroking motions along the left side of his face, although there was not much sensation, as if he was feeling the touch through a thick cloth. He said nothing, drifting off again, feeling the pain slowly recede._

o0o0o0o

The light of the candles slowly grew as Zuko took in a deep breath.

o0o0o0o

_At first he thought he was blind. When he tried to open his eyes there was only darkness, but when he lifted his hands he found cloth on his head. He only gained a small measure of relief from this, and went to work on removing the bandages. No one stopped him, so he knew he was alone. Light slowly filtered in to his right eye as the layers came off, and soon enough he saw soft red light through his eyelid. His eye snapped open, and he saw the familiar surroundings of his bedchamber._

_Hesitantly he sat up, trying to open his left eye. A wave of dizziness hit him as he propped himself up on his arms and looked around. There was no one around, but on a table near him he saw a half-eaten bowl of soup, and some bandages as well as a small potted aloe plant that had about half of its leaves cut off._

_Aloe. Burn. Pain. Slowly, his left hand went up to touch the pain on his face. He felt a thick pad there, apparently it had stuck to the skin even after he had removed the wrapping. His hand shook as he located the edge of this pad, and hissed softly in pain as he peeled it off of his skin. On the inside of the pad he saw a mess of blood, pus, and goo._

_Numb with shock, he dropped the pad onto his blanket and tried to open his left eye. There was a stirring of muscle and a new flash of pain. A tiny slit of light was all that this eyelid would admit, and he tried to open it more, but could not. It just hurt too much, and he gave up, closing his eye._

_Pain…there had been so much of it. A black figure looming over him, then a white-hot starburst of excruciating agony shooting through his head. A shudder passed through his whole frame as his hand approached his face and he let out a soft whimper when his fingers came in contact with tender skin. It was slick and raw, and he shuddered a little as his fingers slowly moved along this foreign-feeling flesh, examining the extent of the damage. At the top edge of this flesh, he could feel that some of his hair had been shaved away._

"_Zuko! You shouldn't be doing that!" a voice called out and he blinked and looked over to the doorway, seeing his uncle._

o0o0o0o

His hands formed tight fists, the fingers digging into the lap of his pants.

o0o0o0o

Iroh sat in the dark room, the shutters drawn and the dim light of a few candles flickering over his aged countenance. Here and there the porcelain would touch his lips as he sipped at his tea.

He had taken his mother's apartment, a place that he had not stepped into since her death, not long after Ozai had been born.. Was that really so long ago? The walls and chamber were familiar to him, although the furniture was wholly different, all belonging to him, though a few of these tapestries and adornments had been Lady Aila's favorites, and he had put them up to remind himself of his mother. It was too bad that Zuko had never gotten to know the sweet and kind woman that was his grandmother.

It felt nice being back in the Palace. It had hurt deeply when his brother had exiled him from the Palace and put him in their mother's family's estate, where he was to be good for nothing in the eyes of the Fire Lord and out of his way. He had been left out of the loop completely in the goings on of the Court and had missed his nephew and the Waterbender, who he now thought of as his daughter.

He would have been Fire Lord if he had come home from Bai Sing Se victorious. But part of him had not truly minded so much when their father had declared Ozai next for line, because he himself did not feel cut out for the stressful position after his son's death. Zuko had so much on his hands and he did not envy his nephew, but being the Fire Lord's right hand was a position that suited him entirely. He was honored to help his nephew, especially knowing how much the new Fire Lord respected and needed him.

He sipped at his tea, pondering the turn of events that had led him and Zuko to where they were now.

He had carried guilt deep within for almost three years, and felt a fresh pang every time he had set his eyes upon Zuko's scar, and noted the changes in his nephew's attitude as his banishment had sunk in. The exile had added a bitter and cutting edge to Zuko's already-troubled personality and it made him sad to see how the younger Prince had stopped smiling.

o0o0o0o

_He stood in the doorway, staring quietly as Zuko sat in his bed, touching the raw side of his face before he strode forward, gently pulling the small hand down._

"_You'll get it infected if you touch it like that." he said softly as he examined the wound. It was not a nice sight, with the mixture of fluids coating the surface of the deeply-burnt flesh. He shook his head, going to the washroom and filling a bowl with water, coming back to the bed with that and a towel in his hands._

_The Prince winced, but did not scream or cry out as the moistened towel touched his skin, carefully wiping away the buildup of stickiness. His fingers dug into the blankets and Iroh could see his young muscles flex and stiffen in a effort to keep from pulling away, and the older Prince was gentle but firm, resolutely wiping away the stickiness before applying some fresh lotion and putting on a new pad. _

_Normally this would be the physician's job, but men in the army were not just taught how to fight. They were also taught first aid so they could keep themselves healthy even if they suffered injuries, to sew so they could maintain their uniforms and supplies, and basic plant identification so they could find food on their own in case supplies ran low, among other such skills so they could function better and be more efficient soldiers._

_The Prince sat there without complaint as Iroh wrapped new bandages around his head, this time in a different way so that his good eye remained uncovered._

"_Are you hungry, Zuko?" he asked._

"_No."_

"_Are you sure?"_

"_Yes."_

"_How about some tea?" he asked. The Prince's lips were cracked, so he nodded. Some tea was brought up by a servant, and the older Firebender poured out some for his nephew, seeing the relief in Zuko's face when the tea touched his lips._

_The amount of damage was appalling. Zuko was probably blind in his left eye, and his ear was also damaged as well, though the effect on his hearing was not yet determined. Only the healing process would tell. The hair at his temple and sideburn area was gone, as well as his eyebrow, and these would not grow back. Why would Ozai choose to punish him like this? It was downright cruel. Why not choose something else? Zuko would bear this damage for life and Iroh held back the urge to go and lash out at his brother._

_He knew his brother was a stern parent, and yes, one had to be strong to be Fire Lord, but he recalled how Ozai had yelled at Zuko for crying at his mother's funeral. Ozai had been downright cold and aloof at times, and he could see the need to be loved and appreciated in the Prince's soft golden eyes. He himself had tried to provide Zuko with that, for it was a basic need of any human being to know that they were needed and appreciated, and the death of his own wife and son had left a gaping void._

o0o0o0o

Iroh poured himself another cup, staring at the flickering candles quietly as he recalled the events that had brought his nephew and himself to this point.

o0o0o0o

_After a couple more days in a drug-induced haze, he was well enough to be able to get up without fainting or feeling dizzy, and he ate a complete meal instead of just soup or tea. He had not touched the bandages at all, and did nothing when his bandages were changed, sitting there obediently whenever Iroh or Sylid attended to him._

_It was now clear to him what had happened and how he had received the scar, although he was still processing the presence of the scar itself. He had not yet seen himself in the mirror, and part of him was morbidly curious…and the other part of him never wanted to see another mirror again._

_This was his first day drug-free, and he felt clear-headed. He knew things were different, but he had no idea just how different they would become. His sire had not been up to see him once, although he welcomed the company of his uncle._

_Right now Zuko was alone, and he did not intend to simply sit in the bed all day. He felt a little weak, but none the worse for wear except for a mild throbbing where his injury was._

_He descended down on the thick rug in front of his bed, sitting down and doing stretching exercises, which were painful, but felt good on his unused muscles. He was not exactly sure now long he had been out of it, and he would later find out it was nearly a week. He wondered what had happened while he was up here, what he had missed, what people were saying. What did his sire think? Was the Fire Lord sorry for what he did to his only child?_

_Later on, Zuko would find out that his sire was indeed not sorry at all._

o0o0o0o

_Later that afternoon, after being attended to by the physician who seemed somewhat optimistic about the healing, the Fire Lord had come to see him. He had been sitting at the low table, sipping his tea and thinking about his lessons from a week ago when he felt a tingle down his neck and looked up, seeing his father loom over him. His good eye flickered a bit in surprise but he bowed his head respectfully._

"_My lord." Zuko murmured, setting down the teacup. He waited for his sire to respond._

"_You have disgraced me, offspring." Ozai said coldly, his arms folded in front of him under voluminous robes of red and black. Zuko lowered his head even more._

"_Please forgive me, my lord. I only spoke with the best interests of the Fire Nation at heart. I was rash, and for that I apologize. I would never want to dishonor anyone, most of all not you."_

"_Nonetheless, you did."_

"_Please, father. I am sorry. I only had the Fire Nation's best interests in heart! Not my own!"_

"_You disgraced me and the Nation."_

"_I will do anything, Father, anything! Let me prove my loyalty to you!"_

"_Oh yes, you will..." Ozai replied with the barest hint of a cruel smirk on his face._

o0o0o0o

_Iroh had been up to see Zuko, but he paused just outside the door to the Prince's chambers when he heard his brother's voice. Upon hearing the conversation, and his blood ran cold. There was something wrong… something so very wrong._

"_You say you have the interests of the Fire Nation at heart and want to prove your loyalty." Iroh heard his brother say._

"_Yes, of course!" Zuko's voice was desperate, obviously eager to please his father._

"_Sozin's war has raged on for a century. The Air Nomads are gone, the Water Tribes nearly extinct, but the Earth Kingdom continues fighting us. They foolishly believe that the Avatar is still alive and will bring about our downfall."_

_Was the Fire Lord serious? If he was hinting at what Iroh thought he was hinting at…_

"_It is up to you to ensure that does not happen. So you will go out and find him."_

"_But, my lord, I mean no disrespect, but the Avatar has been missing for so long… surely the cycle has been broken?" Zuko asked meekly._

"_He is merely hiding… and you will find him."_

_There was silence and Iroh's heart was pounding._

"_You will search for him if you want your honor, your birthright, and your country back."_

o0o0o0o

_The young Prince sat there, numb with shock long after his sire had left. The world he had known since his birth... gone._

o0o0o0o

The Fire Lord opened his eyes, staring at the candles.

o0o0o0o

Iroh looked down at his cup of tea, curling his fingers around the still-warm porcelain.

o0o0o0o

_The Dragon of the West had walked after his brother when the Fire Lord left his son's chambers._

"_I don't want to hear it, Iroh." Ozai said coolly, as if his elder brother was a child, "The decision stands. You are too soft. That is why I am Fire Lord."_

"_I know that, but this? I am at fault. I should be exiled, not him. I am the one who let him in the War Room."_

"_But he is the one who spoke out." Ozai replied acidly, "Do not attempt to sway my decision."_

_Iroh could see that his mind was set._

"_Then I will accompany him." Iroh replied calmly._

"_Very well." the Fire Lord shrugged as if he did not care at all, and left his brother standing there._

o0o0o0o

Iroh's fingers slid from the teacup before he blew out the candles, and removed his slippers. He sauntered over to the bed, curling up under the soft covers.

o0o0o0o

_He had bought his nephew a ship for his thirteenth birthday, and it was that gift which would prove invaluable. He had never forgotten the look of shock and delight in his nephew's golden eyes, or standing with him on the dock as the ship moved out of the harbor and traveled along the shoreline for a while before turning out into the open sea, surrounded by water and sky. Zuko had looked so happy, the wind blowing through his thick black hair and Iroh had been so happy and proud. They had shared a cup of tea and played a game of Pai Sho and Zuko had looked almost sad when it was time for the ship to turn back._

_His nephew was in a state of shock after the proclamation of his sire, so Iroh had taken care of everything in a rush – securing a crew, soldiers and supplies in the three short days that Ozai had given them to prepare._

_The ship was now fully prepared, and he held his breath as the Prince climbed up the ramp to the ship, his face a stony mask partially covered with white, his head shaved of all but a queue, his arms neatly folded in front of him as he wore a plain red silk robe and black hakama._

"_Greetings, nephew." Iroh said kindly, placing a hand on Zuko's shoulders. The young Prince flinched and pulled away._

o0o0o0o

_The wind whispered against Zuko's bare scalp as he stared out at Sozun. He was born here, and his entire life had been here. Now… he would exiled._

_The ramp lifted up into the ship as he felt the soft hum of the engines under his feet. The hum of the engine, the churning of the water, the whisper of the wind, all of them surrounded him, but met his ears as a faint buzz as he stared ahead bleakly. There was no one to see him off, and his sire's absence was very marked to him, reminding him of his shame._

_He turned and walked along the railing, wandering aimlessly from one side of the ship to the other. No one spoke to him, although everyone would respectfully bow their heads. Did they know he was exiled? Were they aware that they might never return home if he did not find the Avatar? But at least they were free to leave and find other jobs and go back home if they wanted…he did not have that option._

_Iroh followed him, close enough to catch him should his faltering strength fail him, although far away to preserve the youth's bruised pride. It was a delicate balance, and Iroh had to fight the urge to take Zuko in his arms and hug him tightly. He reminded himself that he would later, out of the sight of Zuko's new soldiers._

_The exiled Prince carefully walked across the deck, his muscles still rubbery from disuse and the roll of the ocean which seemed at times might tip him over. He could feel the eyes of everyone…the helmsman, the soldiers, the servants…trained on him as if they expected him to fall._

_How did he look to them with his bandaged face and most of his hair gone? Was he still a Prince to them?_

_He walked regally, with his chin up, and not once did he stumble even though inside he felt on the verge of passing out._

"_My Prince…are you all right?" Iroh asked gently as his nephew wandered through the hallways and walked up the stairs slowly to the rooms that he remembered was his cabin._

_The Prince said nothing, slamming the door shut._

o0o0o0o

The guilt Iroh had carried for so long remained there, but to a lesser extent. Remembering the things he had taught Zuko, the places they had seen, the things they had done, through it all Zuko had not truly lost himself. He may have hidden it behind a exterior of steel, but it remained there, giving him a glimmer of light in the darkness his father had tried to lock him in.

_Thank you, Agni, for leading my nephew on the right path, even though it was difficult_, he prayed to the Fire God.

Iroh sighed softly as he lay in the bed, thinking about his nephew and his companion, comfortable in their own suite, talking, or sleeping, perhaps making love. Whatever was going on up there, he knew his nephew was happy.

Sometimes his own nights felt very lonely, since he didn't have anyone to share a large and comfortable bed with, and longed for his long-dead wife.

o0o0o0o

Zuko gently touched his scar. Ozai had burned much of his body in the Agni Kai, but the Fire God had healed it all. Why not the scar on his face? He was always reminded of his shame when he looked in the mirror.

**It is not a mark of shame. It is one of honor. If you had not received that mark, you would have gone on a different path. One with no honor.**

He stiffened, recognizing Agni's voice.

**You carry no shame. Hold your head high and be proud. You have your throne, your country, and a mate worthy of you. And most of all, your honor.**

Zuko bowed his head in respect to the representation of Agni on the wall before him when the candles went out.

The Fire Lord silently stood up and left the room, heading to the washroom but not before he paused at the bed. Katara lay there quietly, curled up in her yukata and hugging a large pillow close, her head and arm draped across it. He smiled a bit, leaning over and brushing a loose strand of hair from her face before finishing his trip.

He lit the lamps near the mirror, staring at his reflection, gingerly stroking his scar.. Ozai had sought to use shame and honor as a tool to manipulate his son, and what an effective tool it had been. Even after his death, the former Fire Lord maintained a hold on his son, his death filling Zuko with remorse.

_No more_. He spoke out in the War Room against a grave injustice, and had been sent out on a different course of life that though difficult, had a much better destination than the one his old life would have brought him. There would be no more shame, not ever.

He stared at the scar, his golden eyes glinting fiercely as he regarded the mark that had set him on that difficult path.

_Agni, you are wise_, he mused to himself. This mark would serve as a reminder to the end of his days what honor meant. He stared at his reflection, a calm and satisfied expression on his face.


	25. Come Here

**Hot Water**

Chapter XXIV – Come Here

o0o0o0o

Katara sighed softly as she stood in front of the gold-framed full-length mirror of the Fire Lord's washroom, her robe opened to reveal her naked front. She turned to one side, looking at her stomach, almost imagining that she saw a bump there. She had missed a couple of periods, and knew exactly what it meant when a woman missed her bleeding, especially when she had a lover.

She was eating again and had stopped losing weight, even though she still felt a little nauseous sometimes. Which she knew was another indicator of a condition that was in this case unwanted. She was not naive or ignorant – the women of her tribe were open about such matters. Sex and other intimate matters, while considered private, was not a dirty subject, and she learned the facts of life from her mother, grandmother, and other female relatives, and any questions she had were answered frankly – and she had been at a few births, assisting Gran-Gran – so it wasn't too hard to put two and two together for a rather unnerving picture.

How the hell was she going to tell Zuko? Neither of them were ready to be parents! And how would Zuko react? With anger, disappointment, or would he simply become cold to her? She frowned at that last thought. Why should she be punished anyway? It was his fault. He was the one who kept taking her, more times than she could count, it was _his_ fault that this had happened!

_He's the one who kidnapped me! _He had taken her maidenhead that fateful night and he came back for the rest of her. And now he refused to let go.

Since the coronation, she had not spoken much to him and tried her best to avoid him – discreetly – as she fretted over her dilemma. Granted, it was easy enough, as he had so many things to do, having only been Fire Lord for a week. Zuko tackled his work with fierceness and determination. He was gone most of the day, catching up on paperwork and creating new laws and proclamations to bring about an end to the War and end the brutalities that had been an effect of said war. The usual routine was breakfast with him, then he would leave and do whatever he had to. She always ate lunch by herself, and dinner was iffy. He had assured her that this was not to be the norm, and when things settled down, he would have more time to sit and relax. She did miss him very much while he was away, but was afraid when he was near her. It was always on the tip of her tongue to tell him, but she couldn't bring herself to.

And when they lay together in bed and he pulled her close, either to simply hold her or to make love with her, she would sometimes suddenly feel terrified, and her heart would start to pound within her chest.

It took her a bit of time to figure out why she was afraid. She was afraid for herself, and for the child. She knew what a pit of vipers the Court was. What would they say to a child born of fire and water? They looked at her with distaste; and she knew they wouldn't be celebrating the birth of a mixed-breed child of their Lord. They could even… try to kill it. When she read about the lives of former Fire Lords and their wives, concubines, and offspring, there were several stories filled with intrigue, betrayal, and murder. Suppose one of Zuko's royal relatives... She shook her head.

It didn't matter if Zuko was wealthy with the ability to give the child everything it needed or wanted – tutors, bodyguards, a nurse, comfort and warmth and the like – what good was any of that if the child was ostracized like she was, just because the child would not be of pure Fire Nation blood like the rest of them, even if it was of the royal bloodline?

There was no way a child could be raised in an environment like that. In her village, she was loved or at least welcomed by everyone, and even though Waterbending was a rare gift, she was still part of the village. She was welcomed, trusted, treated with respect. That would be a far better environment for a child to grow in. Granted, her people didn't have wealth or fancy technology, but they were strong and honest. Moral values and character were more important than wealth and social rank.

For a moment, she imagined herself back among them, among the things she loved and were familiar with. Where she didn't have to worry about social rules or being different. A world where she had never met Zuko.

It was too late. Zuko had changed her with his touch and presence. She had learned many things. But that didn't have to be bad, right? Learning things was always good wasn't it? She had learned so many things in her travels with Sokka and Aang, knowledge she could share with her village.

She stared at the mirror again, examining her naked body. Perhaps she could sneak away and return to her people and put it all behind her. She longed for the feeling of familiarity and of home. She had no desire to give birth to a child here or raise it in a hostile environment.

Katara sighed softly, imagining how nice it would be to see her people again. It would be nice to give birth surrounded by people she knew, to have someone hold her hand, to have one of her cousins or Gran-Gran brush the hair from her face and stroke her brow as she was in labor. She wanted to hear the comforting voices of the women she knew and to have them hold her child, not some wet nurse or nanny that she would just hand her child off to. She wanted what was best for herself and the child, and despite all Zuko's wealth, he could not give it what her people could. After all, this child would be half Water Tribe.

But what would her people say about the other half? She had no idea what it might look like, but there was no doubt in her mind that there was a high possibility that it's mixed heritage would clearly show. It could even be a Firebender! What would her father say if he saw the child? Her grandmother, her brother, and what about Aang, what would he as the Avatar say about the child? Would she be shunned by her own people and best friend? Would they look at her with disgust, even though she had never consented to being taken by him in the first place? Or look at her with pity? She wasn't sure which one would be worse. How would such a child be viewed or treated in the village? Would its Fire Nation heritage bring it the same scrutiny that it would receive here from its mother's blood?

Of course, the child need never be born. There were certain herbs that could be taken to force a woman to miscarry… it might even be more merciful. Could she truly do such a thing? Her mind raced with all sorts of thoughts and possibilities.

Her fingernails dug into her stomach as she tried to find some inner peace to quell the raging storm that was now apparently her very mind. She sunk to her knees, feeling dizzy and a little sick from all of the stress she was currently under.

As if on cue, the door to the washroom opened and when she heard it, she quickly yanked her robe closed. In the mirror she saw the Fire Lord approach her, free of his formal clothes and clad in a plain red yukata that hung open, and loose black pants.

Zuko stared at her quietly for a few moments as she stared in the mirror seeing his reflection look at her, and she swallowed dryly.

"Are you ill?" he asked finally after a few moments of silence, concern evident in his eyes.

"Hm? Uh. No." Katara said quickly, turning around to face him and placing her worries behind a pleasant face, "Uh…the washroom's all yours, I'm done." she added as she took a few steps, making her way to the door. But before she could leave, he gently grabbed her by her arm and pulled her close.

"What's wrong, Tara?" he asked softly, placing a light kiss on her cheek.

"Nothing." she said, pulling away. He refused to let go and narrowed his eyes, not believing her almost-casual statement.

"I'm just tired." Katara protested, not meeting his eyes.

"What's wrong? Have I hurt you?" Zuko asked. She shook her head.

"Then why are you avoiding me? Look at me, please."

"I am not avoiding you." Katara shot back before quickly slipping away from him and out of the washroom. Her heart was pounding and she had to stop herself from crying. He had to find out eventually but still…

The Fire Lord would not be deterred from having his answer, and he followed her into the bedroom. Over the last few days he noticed that even when they were together, she didn't speak to him much and acted as if she was trying to hide something. Almost as if she was afraid of him.

"Tell me what is wrong." Zuko ordered as Katara climbed into the bed and burrowed under the blankets.

"I am fine."

"You do not look fine to me." the Fire Lord said as he approached the bed, sitting next to the lump. He shook his head and pulled the blankets back, causing her to roll away from him.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." she muttered as she stared off at the pillows on Zuko's side of the bed. How was she supposed to tell him? _Oh my lord…I suspect that I am pregnant with your child. I hope you're not too upset with me, I didn't mean for it to happen and I took the herbs like I was supposed to…_

"I know something is wrong, Katara."

"Fine." she said, yanking the blankets back over her head. She felt bad for avoiding him and making him feel hurt but frankly she had no idea what to do, and she was terrified.

"Tell me, please. Did someone say something bad to you? One of the nobles? A guard? A servant? Did something happen?" Zuko asked as he gently inched the blanket down to under her chin, silently pleading with her to look at him. Katara said nothing, burying her face in her pillow. He stiffened, holding back the urge to rip the blankets off her and shake an answer out of her. To his surprise, a soft sob escaped from her lips.

"Tara, what's wrong?" he asked. In response, she started crying softly, placing her hands over her face. Zuko blinked and leaned in towards her, gently lifting her hands off her face and placing a light kiss on her forehead.

"Please tell me, Tara. I love you. I just want you to be happy. Please tell me what's wrong so I can fix it…" he asked, putting his hand on her shoulder and gently rolling her over so she was facing him, looking at the tears on her cheeks.

Katara looked into his deep golden eyes and took a deep breath. Might as well get it over with…

"Zuko…"

"Yes?"

"I… I may be pregnant." she whispered in a quiet but very clear voice. The golden-eyed Fire Lord simply stared for a few moments, his eyes fixed on hers.

His Katara… with child? A brief image flashed through his head as shock passed through him, of her with a soft and rounded belly. _Pregnant?_ How could it be? Was she joking? No, she couldn't be. It explained her behavior. And she wasn't the kind of person to joke about something like this.

Katara took Zuko's silence as anger and rushed to explain, panicking even more as her words poured out rapidly.

"It's…well, I mean…I have been taking the herbs like I was supposed to, I swear, and, and… well, I think the screwy appetite and throwing up I've done lately is morning sickness and I missed my last bleeding… Please don't be angry with me, my lord…" she said frantically. He remained silent and she whimpered softly, backing away from him.

"I'm sorry, Zuko…I'm so sorry…"

The Fire Lord simply sat there silently. The silence was thick and felt constricting to Katara, as if it was cutting off her air. She climbed off the bed, as if she could find a place to hide from him. Surely she could run to Iroh and... What the hell would happen now?

"Come here." she heard Zuko's voice state coolly. She stiffened and slowly turned back to him, keeping her head bowed slightly. After taking a look at his face, her stomach twisted a little. His handsome features were not set in any expression, and it was this... distant blankness that terrified her even more.

It was the face he wore when he was out in public, and was also the one he usually wore when they had been living on the ship. There was no way to read emotions from that particular expression – if it could even be called one due to the lack of emotion – and that was what really frightened her, the possibility that raw anger and fury was seething behind that calm-looking exterior.

She did not take another step and let her loose hair hang over her face. She could feel her hands tremble just slightly and swallowed nervously, her eyes moving from him to a random point on the wall as she tried to not feel his gaze on her.

"I said, come here."


	26. Hold Me

**Hot Water**

Chapter XXV – Hold Me

o0o0o0o

"Come here." Zuko said calmly. Katara turned to face him, keeping her head down, trying to hide the shaking in her hands. When he noticed the slight tremble, he felt his stomach form a tight knot.

"Sit." the Fire Lord ordered, gesturing to an spot near him on the bed, within his reach. Slowly, her hesitant steps brought her to the side of the bed, where she seated herself a couple of feet away from him – definitely not the spot he indicated. He frowned but did nothing to close the distance between them. She stared at her feet, her fingers digging into the sheets. Her heart was pounding so hard she was certain it would jump through her chest.

"You did not have to avoid me about this." he stated softly, looking down at the Water Tribe woman who had distanced herself from him even now. He could not even see her face because of her hair and held back a sigh. Why did she have to be so afraid? He remembered the meals with her, how she usually simply looked down at her food, and their conversations, where she had said but little. His duties as Fire Lord kept him very busy, but he did his best to find the time to spend with this person he cherished above all. Sometimes it was strange to him, thinking of her like that, for he had never expected to find someone like her, someone that he could love so wholly and selflessly even as he acted distant and polite towards her in Court. She was in his thoughts constantly and he thirsted for her presence. How many people had ever felt this way about anyone else? How many Fire Lords had ever felt this way about their women? How many of these women had been Queens in the hearts of their Lords?

So why had she been so terrified about this? Yes, the news was a shock to him, but he sure as hell was not going to punish her for it. Was that what she feared? That possibility saddened him. He stared at her, seeing the trembling of her hands.

"Yet you did. Why?" he asked.

"I…I was afraid." she said meekly.

"Of…?"

"You. The Court. Everything." she replied. Zuko stared at her for a few moments, longing to brush the hair from her face and hold her and reassure her, but he held back for the moment.

"Why?" he demanded.

"I know you don't need or want a child and I thought you would be upset with me and… discipline me." she whispered as she stared at her hands, lacing her fingers together in a attempt to calm the shaking. Zuko sighed softly and shook his head slowly before he reached out to cover her hands with his own.

"There is no reason to think that way, Katara, for the simple fact that I love you and care for you very much. Yes, I am not ready for a child and neither are you and this is a big shock for me, but I know you did not do this on purpose. I am not angry with you, but I am sad that you thought I might hurt you."

"I was afraid." she repeated softly, still keeping her head down. "Still am."

The Fire Lord inched closer to her, reaching out to carefully brush her hair from her face, pulling it behind her shoulder and tucking a few stray locks behind her ear. She flinched from this, almost as if she had been expecting a blow from him, and he placed his hand on her shoulder, stroking that and her arm gently.

"There's no need to be afraid." Zuko whispered. She looked up at him, blinking back tears. His arms wrapped around her and he pulled her into his lap, giving her a gentle nuzzle, causing her to sob softly.

"I'm sorry that you are afraid of me." he said, sadness evident in his tone. She looked up at him with big blue eyes, and his lips pressed against her cheek to kiss away a tear.

"I love you, Tara." he said. She gave him a wavering smile. He lifted her chin up and placed a light kiss on her lips before laying her head on his shoulder, rocking her gently, thinking of the news and what he would do. It was big news, for sure and he would be lying if he said he wasn't surprised or nervous.

"What if I _am_ pregnant?" Katara asked softly

"I… I don't know. I think... we would have to make a difficult decision." Zuko admitted. She sighed and nodded.

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, Tara. We will deal with this the best we can. Just remember, I am not angry with you."

"Maybe the herbs work better for Fire Nation women?" Katara asked, wiping away her tears. He shrugged.

"I don't know. It shouldn't matter because we're all the same except for Bending abilities." he said as he caressed her cheek, "Even then, I will have Sylid check up on you. He can confirm whether you are or not and take the necessary steps." he stated. She nodded quietly. The physician had always treated her kindly so the thought of another examination from him didn't make her uncomfortable.

Her small brown hand reached up to touch his larger pale one and he shivered a little as her fingers gently caressed his. She leaned her head into his hand, closing her eyes, a tear or two still coming down her cheeks.

Keeping her in his arms, he eased back onto one of the large pillows, rubbing her back to soothe her, feeling torn over her question. What would he do if she was indeed pregnant? He was no expert on matters related to women, but he knew that Katara was really in no condition to carry a child, and neither of them were ready to be parents. It seemed almost impossible that she could be pregnant, between the herbs and the fact that they were of different nations, it was a proven medical fact that it was harder to conceive a mixed-breed than if its parents were of the same nationality. But it _did _happen.

But Katara's health and safety came first, and he would do what he had to do with that in mind. They would wait and see and make sure before he made any decisions regarding further action.

"It's okay." Zuko whispered reassuringly, taking her hand and kissing it, "I am not angry with you at all. Don't be afraid. Just relax and know I will take care of everything." he murmured as he nuzzled said hand, placing kisses along the palm and wrist.

o0o0o0o

It was a gorgeous day, and Katara had just completed her instruction from Iroh. The day was sunny, a bit balmy and _very_ warm. It was normal for everyone else here, but to a native of the Antarctic it was hot. Thankfully, the climate was moderately dry, and she thought it would be wonderful to go out to the gardens. She decided to go to a different garden rather than the one Zuko always took her to, for a change of scenery.

In her hand was a book that her new teacher had given her. Her first martial arts lesson, given to her three days ago, was just stretching and breathing exercises, and this morning the older man had taught her a few basic defensive stances and blocking. She felt thrilled that she was learning how to actually fight and defend herself, and not just Bend. And the lesson helped to take her mind off last night.

Iroh was also teaching her history and literature for the time being until a more permanent tutor could be obtained, and their first lesson had consisted of him giving her a general history of the four nations. To her it seemed as if he was trying to be fair with the history, not making one nation seem better than the other. The book she had in her hand was full of Fire Nation fables and stories and Iroh had promised to find other books for her too, literature from the other kingdoms as well. He said more books from other nations needed to be added to the library anyway.

Her guard followed her silently. The first time she had explored the Palace, it had felt so odd having someone shadow her, but after a week she was used to it. It was for her own safety, she knew that, and the guards that were assigned to her care were silent and efficient and polite to her. She knew some of them from the ship and felt comfortable around them, and learned to relax around her guards and not constantly look over her shoulder at whoever was assigned to her at that time.

She was also getting used to Palace life itself. Back under Ozai's rule she had been shut away in Zuko's room or under his supervision, now she was free to go anywhere through the Palace she wanted. She was now a true lady and was still getting used to being treated like one. Her personal attendant did whatever she asked, or arranged for other servants to do certain chores, such as doing her laundry, or bringing her meals. Hana also helped her to dress and gave her pointers on Fire Nation fashion. Never before in her life had she been so pampered as she had been the last week. It was as if she was stepping up through life, first being poor in her village, then having a little more happiness and freedom as she traveled with Aang, then the relative comfort of the ship, then the grand opulence of the Palace despite her confinement, and now this. Everyone called her 'lady'.

Her, a lowly Water Tribe woman, being referred to as such in the Palace of the Fire Lord! But at least she felt safe, and what Zuko had said to her last night reassured her much. He was now in Court, and she missed him. When he came back tonight, she would not avoid him. She would welcome him with open arms and do whatever she could to make him comfortable after what she knew was a grueling day, knowing that all these meetings and what not took a toll on him. She would bring a smile to his face before he went to sleep.

The afternoon sunlight felt nice on her face as she emerged into the garden with her book as she inhaled the faint but wonderful scent that wafted all over the garden from the various flowers. She had dressed accordingly for the warm weather – a thin sleeveless silk robe of a deep scarlet that modestly covered everything it was supposed to, but the lightness of the fabric kept her comfortable. On her legs she wore darker red pants made of the same lightweight silk and on her feet were gold-roped slippers. All of this silk was plain and unadorned – just how she liked it – and the only obvious mark of her status as consort the fancy fire comb she had in her bun.

Hana insisted that she wear that fire comb in her hair whenever she went out as a symbol of her rank, and even though Katara didn't really like how it looked, she accepted it. Ozai had worn a flame comb in his hair and Zuko wore one now. In the paintings she had seen in the halls of the Palace all the Fire Lords had these flame combs, and the few paintings she had seen of the women, usually in family portraits, showed the same.

As she wandered over to the bench near the pond she glanced around casually and noticed a few noblewomen near the other side of the garden, and looked up at her guard wonderingly.

"I thought the gardens were for the royal family or am I mistaken?" Katara asked curiously.

"During the day, the Garden of Contemplation is open to the Court." the guard said kindly, leaning down to whisper it to her, "The ladies come here to socialize while their husbands or fathers are in court with the Fire Lord. This is the only garden open to the public."

"Oh." Katara said with a simple nod, deciding to give the others no mind. She opened her book and started reading as her guard stood watch over his charge. Once in a while she tore her eyes away from the books to look out at the garden. She had only walked through here at twilight or after dark, it was nice to be here in the afternoon sun, where she could really see all the colors and different flowers that had blossomed over the course of spring and early summer.

Katara felt a tingling at the back of her neck, and out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the women looking at her. She could swear one of them was sneering at her, but she chose to say nothing, getting absorbed in her book. Near her were a cluster of fire lilies, and their sweet scent wafted over to her. In front of her, the fish swam lazily in the pond, and she eyed one of them. It was white with black and orange on its back very much like a calico cat, and she smiled as she watched it dart under the waterlilies.

Snippets of conversation floated over to her, and she stiffened just a little. It was as if she was intended to hear them.

"...how could the Fire Lord pick someone so lowly for himself..."

"...Sitting there as if she belongs here!..."

"...I bet the only reason she's here is because of whatever she does in bed!…"

"...Hopefully the Fire Lord bores of her and finds someone more worthy of him..."

"...What the hell would a poor Water Tribe peasant know about the arts of pleasure..."

"...I bet Zuko has her just for the novelty since he got her when he was in exile... he'll get bored of her soon enough..."

These comments were hurtful and she was determined to make it stop. She slowly got up from the bench, setting her book down, and walked towards them slowly

"...look whose coming over to us..." she heard one of them whisper as she put on a neutral expression.

"I thought that women of high breeding had better manners than that." Katara said evenly as she glanced at them, her eyes moving from one woman to another casually. There were five of them altogether, exquisitely dressed in red and gold and richly adorned. The cat-eyed one in the middle seemed to be the ringleader.

"What would a lowly Water Tribe girl like you know about high breeding?" said ringleader said with a smirk and the other women tittered. From her assessment, all of the women seemed to be in the range of fifteen to perhaps eighteen or nineteen years old. And all of them were attractive without a doubt, and none of them wore white face paint. Hana had taught her much about clothing and rank, and she was able to identify that all of these women were noblewomen, sisters or daughters of the nobles in Zuko's Court. These men often brought their female relatives here, so that other nobles could see these pretty girls and make marriage offers, although what most nobles wanted was for the Fire Lord to give them notice.

"A lot more than you, apparently." Katara replied calmly. She knew that next to them she looked pitifully plain in her simple outfit, her skin and hair lacking of decoration besides her necklace and comb.

The ringleader simply snickered at her.

"That's pretty hard to imagine." she said with a smirk. Her face was familiar, and Katara knew at once that she had seen this woman a couple of times before at the grand occasions.

"You're not even dressed properly." the noblewoman pointed out, keeping the smirk on her face. Katara shrugged. Adornments and fancy clothes meant nothing, comfort and functionality was more important to her. The day was warm and she could only imagine how stifling these fancy robes the group of women wore, she could see silk under robes as well and the over robes were made of a thicker satin, and all the baubles in their hair had to be heavy. Wouldn't that be uncomfortable? To her it seemed stupid to forgo comfort just for appearance. But she declined to comment on her thoughts.

"Now I see why Zuko took you. He's just looking for something new to try. He's young and wants to play around. But soon enough he'll be bored and look for something more refined..."

"You mean gaudy, right? You wear all that fancy crap to hide whatever imperfections you have and to impress other people and distract them while you play meaningless games…"

The women's laughter to her sounded like the tinkling of broken glass, high and annoying, and she kept a straight face. It seemed ironic to her that while these women might impress Fire Nation nobles and peasants, she, a supposedly poor and ignorant Water Tribe native, was not the least bit fooled.

"And she has quite a mouth on her." one of the other women said. The ringleader smiled before drawing her fan out of her obi and fanning herself.

"Poor, sloppy, inelegant..." she muttered, seemingly to herself but obviously intended for everyone to hear.

"And yet, the Fire Lord has chosen me to share his bed, not you." Katara replied calmly. Her guard stood behind her silently.

"From what I understand, he snatched you up on his hunt for the Avatar. The poor boy must have been so bored out of his mind, surrounded by that fat old uncle of his and all these soldiers...I suppose one can forgive him for a small mistake." she shrugged, fanning herself still, the sunlight glinting off the gold threadwork in the fan.

Katara almost bit her cheek in hearing her Lord and his uncle being referred to as such.

"But it's only a matter of time. He'll discard you and find someone that can actually please him. Someone who will be a _proper_ consort." the woman shrugged as Katara tried to recall her name. There were so many names and she could only actually remember a few of them.

"He chose me because I please him." Katara replied calmly. The women just laughed.

"I've seen how Zuko treats you, little girl! When I see you out with him he barely looks at you much less speaks to you! Don't delude yourself. He's already bored of you if he treats you like that. You can say goodbye to all of this…" she said, waving her arm to the gardens and the Palace, "soon enough. You'll be thrown out, or shoved away into some dark corner. I'm sure even the Palace of Discarded Concubines is a better place than whatever little village you came from, digging around in the snow and dirt."

Katara said nothing in response to that for a moment, trying to ignore their cruel and harsh words. These women were born into luxury and were pampered… how could they be so cruel and superficial?

"He's not Ozai." Katara replied after a moment's silence.

"Thank you for stating the obvious." one of the other women said as if she was addressing a small child. The ringleader didn't bother to hide her widening smirk. The guard took a step closer, practically standing right behind Katara, ready to protect her should they resort to physical violence.

It was as if Katara had been slapped, and she swallowed a hard lump in her throat. She had never done anything to these women, nothing to deserve the barbs they sent her way. All she had been doing was sitting there and reading!

"He does want me." Katara insisted, but they laughed and shrugged.

"All you are to him is a concubine, a toy. He will choose the proper lady to rule with him." she said, obviously wanting to be that consort. But not for the right reasons.

"You're wrong."

"I'm not surprised you're so deluded. What can you expect from simple, stupid Water Tribe folk? They'll be impressed if you give them something shiny. I bet you could buy a Water village with a few glass beads." the ringleader said with a shake of her head. Katara could not help but roll her eyes on hearing that.

"Soon the novelty for our Lord will wear off and he'll discard you and the Palace will be rid of trash. And then we can all rejoice." the noblewoman continued. So stunned that she was unable to say anything else, Katara spun around and walked down the path and the guard paused, giving the group of women a hard look before going after his lady. The women simply smiled at him coquettishly as if nothing had happened.

The guard followed his lady through the halls, walking quickly to keep up. There was no doubt in his mind that as soon as his shift was over he would report their insolence to the Fire Lord. He had been one of the soldiers on Zuko's ship, and had come to respect his master's companion. He suspected that Zuko felt more than just affection for this woman but he kept silent. It was not his place to speak out, only serve and protect his charge and their master.

o0o0o0o

Meanwhile, Zuko was having a grueling session in the war chamber with his generals. Unlike his sire, who remained on his podium all the time, Zuko sometimes stepped off and got up close, moving pieces on the map on the floor himself, or discussing strategy as he stood next to the map on the wall.

This particular map served a different purpose. Pins on the map showed holdings and cities, and was used to discuss strategy, although there were no pieces moved across it.

Red pins showed Fire Nation cities, while yellow showed Earth Kingdom. Each pin was labeled neatly with the name of the city, and along the map were the names for mountains, rivers, and what not, in small, concise calligraphy.

Right now, roughly half of the map held red pins. Over the last century, the Fire Nation had placed firm footholds in lands that once belonged to Earth Kingdom. The shore that had once been Western Earth Kingdom was now almost completely red, as well as a few spots on the eastern coast of said continent. Over the years, more and more red pins appeared on the map, mostly spreading from the western coast of the continent, and yellow ones were taken down. There was no doubt in anyone's mind, Fire or Earth generals, that the Nation held a far superior navy.

As the Fire Nation moved in from the coasts of the large continent, they took up valuable resources that had once been under the Kingdom's control, such as mines or forests. Ba Sing Se sat squarely in the center of the continent, with a large river running next to it and a few lakes nearby and mountains surrounding much of the area…more than enough for the Kingdom to make this city its strongest defense. He knew that if his father was still in charge, he would have left for Ba Sing Se within the next month.

Well, no more. That plan was off. He was going to work on more important things, and he had his words well planned for the council. He had listened to them bicker amongst themselves for the last week and he wanted so badly to just throw them all out. But that wouldn't work. He had taken his time to look at them all during the meetings and see what each man was like and what their thoughts of the war was like. Some were more calm and rational-minded, others were more cruel, like Zhao. He was glad that the Admiral was not here, but he would have to deal with that man in time.

The men stared at him silently. He knew that many of them were still skeptical of him, and he was determined to prove himself.

"You all know very well what my father had planned, and so do I. However, I have decided to change it. The sieges of Omashu and Bai Sing Se are called off. Our strategy is now to be on the defensive, and strengthen our current holdings."

Murmuring met his statement and some of them actually looked upset, as if they were children and he had just told them they couldn't go out and play. He had expected that.

"Over the last week that I have been here, I have spent much of my time studying the records of the war, even the oldest ones. I have analyzed all the campaigns, successful and not. I have analyzed records of trade, supplies, transportation, everything. I have studied how our cities have sprung up on Earth Kingdom and made them our lands. We were once just a group of islands…" he waved to the map where the original Fire Nation had been… "And now we really are more of an Empire than a Nation. We have a firm foothold in almost half of the world's lands. The Earth Kingdom is no longer really able to take back what was once theirs. They're no longer able to hold us off like they did when my great-grandfather started this. However, if we move most of our available forces to take over the great cities, we leave defenseless cities behind." he said, waving his hand to the Western coast of the continent.

Some of the generals stared at him thoughtfully.

"I will not deny that the Fire Lords behind me have been strong. It was important at the beginning of the war, but there are long-term consequences. Mines will eventually dry out. Forests will vanish if they are not given time to replenish. Resources will run out if we are not careful in our management. We can't just think of our power, but our people. The Nation itself must remain strong. To ensure our strength in the future we must focus on it all…not just the military. We need to keep our people happy and safe, and they will in turn keep us strong."

"So you're suggesting we stop the war and get rid of the military?" one of the generals spoke up incredulously. Zuko glared at the man.

"I never said that! Far from it. I am not talking about dismantling our military or giving the former Earth lands back or anything of that sort! If the Kingdom attacks us, we _will_ fight back. We are going to keep all the lands we have right now and that is it." he said firmly. He noticed a few of them relax at the mention of keeping their hard-fought gains.

_Think I am soft, do you?_ he thought, holding back a sneer.

"I am talking about managing resources and keeping ourselves truly strong. We need to provide for our people and the military, and we must make sure that we can _always_ provide for them. I don't want famines, I don't want raids on our lands, I don't want civil war. The military is as important as ever, but we can't forget the civilians. They have been neglected too long. Therefore, I have decided that the military will be put to defensive purposes. The Kingdom has been raiding and attacking our cities…" he said, motioning to where the red pins sat near the yellow ones. These areas were a frequent spot of conflict as Earth Kingdom tried to reclaim old lands and Fire Nation tried to claim new.

"That is a drain on us, for cities to be destroyed and then new ones rebuilt only to be destroyed as well. It is a waste." he said simply.

Some of the men were still scowling but some others sat there, looking at him, nodding thoughtfully.

"Keeping a hold of the great Earth cities is a diversion and a waste of time. They know we want to attack them. They know of the comet. Do you think they won't be prepared for us? I say we surprise them and let them sit there, waiting for something to happen, while we strengthen our own lands. They will not be expecting that at all. We will use the military to protect our own cities and assess our resources. I will then have reports made from all the cities to assess the state of our Empire. Any battles will be dealt with. We will become truly unstoppable and unmovable, but fire will only burn as long as we ensure that it has enough fuel." Zuko stated with finality. The men were silent for a few moments. Off to one side of the map on the floor, Iroh shot him a small smile.

"That's a waste of the comet's power!" one of the dissenting generals piped up. Zuko had been expecting dissent and was prepared to deal with it. He stared at the man for a moment.

_You. You're the one who wanted to sacrifice the 41__st__ division. You're the one I spoke out against. You won't be able to make any sacrifices anymore, not when I am done with you_, he thought darkly. This was the man he had been supposed to have his first Agni Kai with.

"Using up all of our resources and not managing them is a bigger waste." Zuko replied coldly, "Did I not say that we would keep all of our lands? That we would not disband the army and navy? Strength and stability is the key here, not expansion! What the Fire Nation needs is to assess its resources and use them wisely while making sure nobody can take it from us."

Even then, some of them still stared at him skeptically. He knew he did not look much to them. He was just seventeen, with a huge scar on his face. They sought weaknesses to exploit, youthful inexperience that they perceived him to have. Foolish thinking. He was on the constant watch for just that.

"I have made my decision. I will be handing out assignments tomorrow. You are dismissed." he said simply, watching them glance at one another as they rose from their seats. To his disappointment, his head adviser stalked towards him with a small smirk. Kougyo always seemed to condescend down to Zuko, and he hated it, but he had borne it silently until the right time.

"I have made my decision." Zuko repeated firmly.

"As your head adviser, it is my job…"

"I know very well what your job is." Zuko replied icily, seeing Iroh stand behind Kougyo, hiding a smile. Uncle didn't like the other man either, and he continued, "I have thought hard and long about this. I have done the research. I know what is best for Fire Nation and I take into account things that my sires did not."

Quite a few of the generals remained, about to step out the door, overhearing the conversation. At that moment he didn't care enough to dismiss them. Let them see the example he would set.

"I have the interests of the Fire Nation in heart." Kougyo said slickly, his head slightly bowed. The Fire Lord fought the urge to incinerate him on the spot. This man was always questioning his decisions!

"Oh?" Zuko asked, raising his eyebrow.

"You don't seem to care about the glory and power of the Fire Nation. No more invasion of Ba Sing Se or Omashu. No more moving forward, just staying right where we are. You called off the raid to the South Pole, when we could eradicate the Water Tribes once and for all. You know that water is fire's greatest weakness and yet you want to leave what remains of that pitiful race right where they are! But it would appear that you have already succumbed to that weakness…"

The whole chamber fell silent. The generals that had not yet left held their breaths, and so did Iroh. He was silently praying that his nephew would not act rashly in response to this. The silence hung low in the air, so thick that it was almost visible. Anyone could practically feel the tenseness of the moment, limbs frozen in place as everyone waited for the seemingly inevitable explosion.

But Zuko did not snap into a rage. His eyes fixed on Kougyo and the old man took a step back when he saw the hard glint in his lord's eyes. There was only one word to describe it – cold. And his voice matched as well.

"The affairs of my bed… have nothing at all to do with the affairs of my Nation." Zuko said, taking a slow and measured step forward. For the first time since serving the new Fire Lord, Kougyo felt nervous.

He had been confident in his position, thinking that despite the differences between himself and Ozai's son, he would remain as head adviser due to his seniority and service under Fire Lord Azulon and his son. And his advice _had_ been well-regarded by Zuko's predecessors. But it was so damned hard to agree with this new Fire Lord. No more War? After a hundred years, to just lay down arms just as they were on the cusp of the final victory? Certainly the buy had been affected by his exile, but he was still a boy! He needed the wisdom and advice of a elder, couldn't he see that? The old man silently cursed the Azure Consort. A Water Tribe peasant as a Royal Consort! Fire Lord Sozin must be spinning in his grave. Didn't his ghost come out to haunt Zuko for what he had done?

"You have constantly badgered me and questioned my words." Zuko said, his voice remaining deadly calm, "I am the Fire Lord. I am Agni incarnate. I am not stupid or foolish. I weigh each decision I make for the Nation carefully. Unlike you, who only care about your wealth and your power and the pleasure you get from bringing little girls to your bed."

A couple of the generals had to stifle their laughter at the last statement. It was a known fact that Kougyo preferred the company of petite, young girls and got a new one around every few years or so when the girls blossomed into women, but no one said anything, merely because men, especially the high born or powerful ones, could pretty much do whatever they wanted in their beds. Women were playthings and trophies as well as vessels for sons to the members of Sozun, being a long-held practice, and Kougyo was no exception. Robbing the cradle, they whispered behind his back, but did not dare bring the subject up to his face.

"You are stripped of your rank and position, and your assets now belong to me. You are not to come to the Palace again. And I will see to it that you never hold any position of power ever again. Consider yourself fortunate that I allow you to live or even keep the clothes on your back. Leave now." Zuko said, pointing to the door. The generals silently parted for him and the old man stood there for a few moments.

"I said…_leave_."

Kougyo swallowed once before turning around and taking halting steps to the door, his bald head held high even though his cheeks burned with shame, knowing that life as he knew it was over. To never hold a position of power again… to be shamed… he knew that these generals that were staring at him would spread the story. Perhaps it would be best to hang himself. No, that was too dramatic. Was it his own fault that the new Fire Lord was soft and weak? Perhaps Zuko would grow, see the error of his ways when he bored of that peasant, and reinstate his position, but until then, he'd have to wait. He could take all of his saved gold and go into exile with his new little concubine. A nice little island, perhaps, but oh how he'd miss having the Fire Lord's ear, the power-plays, the fun of being a participant in the Great War behind the scenes...

He felt everybody's gaze on him. The back of his neck was hot, as if the Fire Lord was burning him with his stare. Within moments, the old man was out of the room.

"Let that be a lesson to the rest of you." Zuko said as he glanced over at the other men, "My decisions are not to be questioned, whether it is concerning the Fire Nation or my woman. She has nothing to do with any of you and the decisions I make for the good of the Nation are my own, not hers."

The generals murmured and bowed before they left, and Zuko felt his uncle's hand on his shoulder.

"You handled yourself very well with the generals and with Kougyo. I am most impressed and I am proud of you." Iroh said quietly. The Fire Lord turned around slowly to look down at his uncle. The elder had a small and content smile on his face and Zuko bowed his head.

"That means a lot to me." he said softly, and his uncle smiled even more.

"It is late, my lord. May I suggest that you retire for the evening? I am sure Katara misses you as well."

Zuko smiled a bit and bowed his head again.

"Good night, uncle."

o0o0o0o

He strode out of the War Room, followed by his uncle until they parted ways to go to their separate apartments before a guard stepped close to him.

"If I may speak to you for a moment, my Lord?" the guard asked. The Fire Lord paused and nodded.

"I… I am one of the guards that watches over Katara." he said. Zuko stiffened for a moment.

"Did something happen to her?" he asked, struggling to remain calm.

"The lady has come to no harm, but something happened that you need to know of. Katara asked me to not tell anyone, but her safety is my concern and you are her lord."

"What is it?" the Fire Lord asked, and he listened as the guard told him of what happened in the garden. He knew just who the ringleader was. His hands balled up into fists as the guard told him of the words that were said and he clenched his jaw. As the guard finished the tale, he stood there silently.

"You were right in telling me. You are dismissed. Report for duty as usual tomorrow." Zuko said. The guard bowed and left. He was glad that Katara was in capable and competent hands.

He strode to the door of his suite, nodding to the two guards that stood in front of it as he entered, closing the door behind him quietly. Katara sat in one of the plush chairs in the main room of her own chambers, staring out a window silently. She did not even turn her head when he entered the room. When he came around to face her, he noticed the sadness on her face. She wore a loose dark gray yukata as if she had chosen it to match her mood.

"You are more than a diversion or a passing fancy." Zuko said calmly. Katara blinked and stared up at him.

"You are the only woman I would choose for my consort, Katara."

"But why? I am just a…"

"Don't say it. You are far better than any other woman in Fire Nation. You are smarter, kinder, more passionate, and more beautiful than anyone else." he said softly as he moved closer, gently touching the side of her face as he looked down at her.

"I do not belong here."

"You belong with me, Tara…"

"This is the Fire Nation. I am not of the Fire Nation. This is your home, not mine..." she replied softly, "Your people don't accept me. They think I am trash." she looked down.

"Not everyone here thinks that, and those who do will be dealt with for their actions. Iroh cares for you. Hana and the guards and Sylid and Jee don't look down at you They respect you and are happy to work with and for you. You know that."

"What of my own people? They will look down at me. They will label me a traitor." She worried that someone might send assassins. She had only been here for a short while but there was no doubt that everyone would soon know of Zuko's union with a Water Tribe woman, even the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes. They might try to hurt her to get to him. What would her father say?

"They can consider it a way to form an alliance between my people and yours. Already I am drafting a letter to them and I would like you to help me. I plan to send it with food and supplies to them to show them my good intentions. The Water Tribe lands have been declared off limits to everyone else. I signed that decree the first day I was Fire Lord."

Katara sighed softly and shook her head. His gesture was wonderful – but her people had been hurt too much by Fire Nation.

"They will be suspicious. I mean, they are all that is left, because of what Ozai did to the Northern Water Tribe... They will think that you are trying to trick them before destroying them. I know it is not your fault, but they are too suspicious and paranoid after everything that has happened. They would see me as a traitor for being with you. As some the nobles see you as one." she said softly and he caressed her cheek.

"I don't care about appearances, Tara. I want you, and nobody else."

"But... you would be in danger too." she said softly, looking up at him, "I mean, people don't approve. The nobles don't. People may try to use me to hurt you." she said, genuinely concerned for him. He shook his head and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. She sounded small and scared, and he took her into his arms.

"I'd be in danger even if you were not here…I was in danger ever since I was born. That's how it is for people in power. I am very well aware of the dangers and have taken precautions. And I did promise to keep you safe, did I?" he asked. She nodded.

"It's okay to be afraid." Zuko said as he kissed her again, "but you can't let fear paralyze you. Everything will be all right, Tara." he whispered as he looked at her, seeing how much the noblewoman's cruel words had shook her. He knew that the nobles didn't approve of a Water Tribe maiden as a lady, but he couldn't believe that they had the audacity to do this.

Katara looked up at him with a small, wavering smile as he helped her to her feet, feeling her small hand in his.

"How was your day, my lord?".

"Tiring." he sighed softly.

"Would a bath and massage help you relax?" she asked gently. Even though he was tired, his eyes lit up at this prospect, and he grinned.

"I would enjoy that very much."

She headed into the washroom to pump water into the tub. She added no oils to it, for Zuko preferred unscented baths and it was something she agreed with, too much scent bothered her and some of the noblewomen wore too much perfume. The Fire Lord strode in, heating up the water and slowly undressing in front of her. She sat at the edge of the tub, waiting for him silently as she eyed him appreciatively, and he smirked and posed for her a bit, wearing only his underwear.

"Hot stuff." Katara whispered, and he flashed her a rare and brilliant smile before he took off his underwear. Taking slow steps, he approached the tub and slid in, closing his eyes as he felt the heat surround him.

She moved up to him, pouring just a bit of oil into her hands and kneading his shoulders, finding the tense spots like Hana showed her to. The result was instantaneous. The Fire Lord's head lolled back and he closed his eyes, placing his arms on the edge of the tub. She could not help but smile, feeling proud of herself as she continued working into his muscles, kneading along his neck, shoulders, and arms.

"You're wonderful, you know that, Tara?" Zuko murmured. She chuckled and nodded as she continued.

"If it will make you feel better, why don't you tell me about your day?" she asked. He opened his eyes, turning his head to look at her.

"You're interested in my day?"

"Of course I am, my lord. But only if you wish to share." she said. He nodded, letting his head loll back again as he started speaking, telling her of his meetings. She listened attentively and would make a comment here and there that proved to him that she was actually listening instead of just humoring him, and it felt wonderful. He told her of the last meeting he had and what he had told the other men, and Katara smiled and kissed his cheek, now working on his upper back.

"It's not easy, but I stuck to it and showed them that I would not be swayed in my decisions. They think the war is still going on and I maneuvered around them skillfully. Course, there are a few men who don't agree with me, but there are those that do. I made many good points, I had my lecture prepared and Uncle even said he was proud of me."

"That's wonderful." Katara smiled, "But you know I am proud of you too…" she said as she continued massaging him. Finally, Zuko turned around and grabbed her hands, kissing them.

"That massage felt wonderful. It was just what I needed. But what I need is you in the tub." he said. She blushed a little.

"Come on, get in the water." Zuko said, letting go of her hands. She removed her robe, knowing he was staring at her intently. Even after all the time she had been with him she still hadn't let go of her modest habits and Zuko didn't mind at all. It was one of the things that made her endearing. She blushed, looking away shyly as she climbed into the tub and sitting across from him.

The large red marble tub was large enough to seat them both comfortably and Katara let herself sink into the water up to her chin. Her hair was still up in the bun although a few strands of hair had gotten loose, and Zuko loved the look. She looked way better with her hair flowing free or pulled back in a loose braid or bun – the traditional Water Tribe hairstyle she had worn while she had been traveling with the Avatar had not suited her at all.

His foot slowly slid along her leg, and she opened her eyes to look at him.

"Now doesn't this feel nice?" Zuko whispered. He brought his foot under her left leg and lifted it up, taking her foot into his hands and rubbing it gently.

"I should be the one doing that not you." Katara teased,, as he slowly kneaded into her sole with his thumbs, "You had the long hard day."

"You had a hard day too, Katara. I know you asked the guard to not tell me, but it is his duty to keep you safe and inform me of any problems. I am sorry about what happened."

Katara shrugged as he continued massaging her foot.

"It is not your fault, my lord."

"I will make sure it doesn't happen again…"

"I appreciate you wanting to take care of this for me, but I want to show them that I am not a stupid peasant. If they think that I can't take care of myself…"

He nodded once.

"I will let you handle the next encounter yourself, but if it goes beyond verbal abuse…"

"I'll be fine." Katara said with a smile as he took her other foot and massaged this as well, "Mmm…ohh…that feels good." she whispered, letting her head loll back as she stared at him with half-lidded eyes.

"And you have such cute little feet." Zuko smiled as he kissed her toes. She giggled softly and shook her head.

"Other than that how was your day? How is it going with Iroh?" Zuko asked as he started massaging her calves.

"He's a good teacher. This morning, he taught me a few basic defensive stances and how to block attacks, he was even throwing punches at me." she said with a small smile.

"Ahh." Zuko said with a nod, "And the other lessons?"

"He gave me a wonderful book to read today." she said with a smile and when she told him about it he nodded with a fond expression on his face, for it was a book he had taken pleasure in, and it was one of his favorites even now. They continued the banter and he found himself enjoying it very much. He liked being able to tell her about his day and to listen to her, to be frank with her and know she was doing the same, and simply relaxing, sitting in the tub and massaging each other.

Even though they were sitting in a tub, naked and touching each other, there was nothing sexual about it. Right now there was no need to show their enjoyment _that_ way, not when they already had this casual and comfortable intimacy. Taking turns, they massaged each other on various parts of the anatomy until they simply sat there in the tub, her head on his shoulder, the only sounds that met their ears their breathing.

"It's nice being here with you." Katara murmured after a long while of sitting there in the water that Zuko kept hot. Her stomach rumbled just a bit with hunger but it was easy to ignore, sitting in the tub with him.

Zuko smiled and murmured in agreement, his arm around her shoulders. After a long day, relaxing like this with her was a real treat. Right now, he was in a state of utter relaxation where before he had been so tense, and he had her to thank for that. Her touch had been so firm yet tender and caring.

He truly loved her more than anything, and he lowered his head to place a tender kiss on her forehead as he smiled down at her. She looked up and smiled back.

"Ready to get out of the tub?" she said softly. He nodded. She picked up a washcloth and washed her face, and washed his face for him too, which he liked very much before she climbed out of the tub and wrapped a towel around herself as he eyed her appreciatively. She stood there, holding one out for him when she had secured her own towel on her body. He stepped out of the tub, and she wrapped the towel around his hips.

Katara sat at the counter, looking in the mirror as she removed the flame comb from her hair, brushing out her soft locks with her fingers as he stood and watched her. She was about to braid it back when he called out softly.

"Please don't. Leave it like that. You look beautiful."

With these words, she nodded as she glanced over at him, blushing with pleasure from his praise. She walked over to the bed, removing her towel and sliding under the silken sheet, her loose hair framing her face. He smiled and did the same, climbing onto the bed and taking her into his arms, kissing her cheek and nuzzling her as they settled in for a comfortable night, content to forget about their worries until the next morning.


	27. Heat

**Hot Water**

Chapter XXVI – Heat

o0o0o0o

Katara was bedecked in a deep red silk robe, sleeveless with fancy gold threading along the edges of the fabric, a phoenix making its way gracefully along the collar and side of the garment. In her hair was the requisite fire-comb along with several gold pins. On her arms were matching armbands and bracelets, and rubies set in gold hung from her ears. Her feet were bound in delicate slippers of red satin with phoenixes sewn along the sides. It was rather fitting, since the phoenix was supposed to be the mate of the dragon, and was typically the symbol of the Royal Consort. She was accompanied by Iroh, and per royal protocol, they had guards with them. The doors to the chamber that was her destination were open, and the men at either side of it bowed to her and Iroh as they walked through.

She held her head high, ignoring the throng that had its attention on her. With dignity and grace, she walked along the red carpet that led to the Fire Lord's throne. Zuko sat on the dais in the front of the room with several guards standing in front of him, imperious and regal in robes of black and gold. As she approached the bottom of the dais, she bowed, reciting the correct greeting and obeisance that her position demanded. When she looked up, the Fire Lord nodded at her, his expression cool and stately. It was a sharp contrast to the warm and loving expressions he regarded her with in the privacy of the bedchamber, but she was not upset by it. If anything, the politeness and stiffness that they displayed toward one another in public only served to enhance their private moments together.

She bowed to him again before moving to the seat that had been designated for her. It was off to the side of the room, where she would remain mostly out of view. It was in a quiet and dark alcove, and a servant waited there to attend to her, a fan in his hands to cool her off during this long, hot day. She took her seat as the guards took their positions, and she was glad to feel the cool breeze on her face immediately as she seated herself. She gave the servant a faint nod before turning her attention back to the rest of the room.

It was a bit frightening to her, but not as frightening as it was when Ozai was still here. The presence of Zuko and his uncle did much to reassure her, and she glanced at them, focusing on them so as to not see the other people in the room – some of who were looking at her. She made no indication she was aware of their scrutiny.

This was not the throne room itself, but it was still a large and impressive room, and much of it was taken up by rows of wooden seats. The Fire Lord himself sat on a podium in a smaller version of the Dragon Throne that sat in the Imperial Chamber, and in front of him was a table with scrolls and ink. In the seats were all kinds of people, from nobles to a few soldiers to middle class citizens such as merchants and employees of the government along with a few people that were clearly lower-class citizens, marked as such by their rough clothing and worn appearance.

Guards were placed around the room but she was by now long used to them and took them as part of her surroundings, much as she would a lamp or tapestry or any other regular fixture.

Katara shifted in her seat a little. She had been briefed before she came in here what she would be observing and she was eager and curious to watch. All of these people seated in front of her had cases to present to the Fire Lord. Many of these cases were disputes between parties, some of them were to ask permission to set up a new business or what not, and Zuko would listen and make decisions. Most of these people were from Sozun although a few came from other Fire Nation cities. Usually, the city judges would handle these cases, but when a case was serious, the concerned parties would file petitions and Zuko would look over them and though sometimes he would make a decision in private, he had selected cases to be tried publicly, to serve as an example.

The former Fire Lord had preferred to leave this kind of thing to the city judges – who he had appointed himself and were a lot like him – but Zuko wanted to be more hands on and learn about what went on in his city and get a good idea of what his people were concerned about. It would also help him to decide what laws needed to be changed, since he was aware that some of the city judges were corrupt and accepted bribes in exchange for certain verdicts.

Katara watched silently as the Fire Lord looked down at a scroll, and she guessed that it was a schedule of the cases.

"I call forth the case of Shin and all parties involved." Zuko stated calmly. Several people rose from their seats. She noted that one of them looked to be a high-ranking nobleman while the others looked to be lower middle-class citizens.

"Shin, you may present the case first." Zuko said, sitting back. There was a scribe near him, and he was already recording the goings on in the courtroom. His job was to record so that Zuko could review the cases later and decide on new laws if necessary. The records would also be saved for later reference.

"A thousand thanks to you, my Lord, for your willingness to listen to my dilemma." the nobleman said, first bowing deeply before he continued, "As you know, I am one of the main landowners in the city. I rent out many of my buildings and properties to various tenants and businessmen. However, many of my tenants have decided to team together against me and refuse to pay their rent, as if they can just live on my lands and profit off it without keeping in mind that it is my land that I let them use for their livelihood." he said haughtily, his chin raised. Zuko nodded slowly, noting the expression on the faces of the other men.

"Duly noted." Zuko stated, looking down at one of his papers. It was the letter this man wrote, pleading his case. It had been filled with honeyed words, but the Fire Lord knew that there was more than met the eye.

"Now, let's hear the other side present the case." the Fire Lord said, nodding to the other men. One of them, apparently the elected leader of the small group, stepped forward. The nobleman stood stiffly, his face calm, but Katara could practically feel his animosity.

"Thank you for taking your time to listen to me. We have been working on his lands for years, paying an agreed upon amount of rent at the end of each season. Some of us are farmers, some of us are businessmen so we either rent land on the outskirts of Sozun or buildings right here in the city. We have been on these properties when the previous owner of these lands was still alive." he explained. Zuko nodded. He had checked the records before this case and he knew that the current owner had only been in charge for three years after his father's passing.

"Over the last year, at the end of each season, he asks for much more than what had been originally agreed on." the man said albeit a bit nervously. Zuko could very well side with the wealthy landowner, as the city judges had done so – because Shin had bribed them, and the former Fire Lord had a record of siding with the nobles and the military over the commoners.

"He asks for so much money that it is impossible to make a real living, since he demands more than double what we had been paying before. After his charges, there is very little if any money left for us and some of us are actually in debt to him now. He demands both money and goods from us and it is difficult to support our families. We have pleaded with him and tried to make him understand but he is adamant about it, and then he turned the city judges on us. He also makes threats against us and tells us he will send soldiers to hurt our families if we do not pay."

Zuko nodded slowly, looking at the papers again. He knew bribery was involved without having to ask, and he looked at the names of the judges that had made the ruling. He wondered how much the nobleman had bribed the judges.

"I see here that the city judges have already ruled in favor of the nobleman." Zuko said. The nobleman nodded, holding back a smirk. The Fire Lord sat back, tenting his fingers together, his eyes slowly moving along the two parties.

"The land and buildings are the property of the nobleman to do as he pleases." Zuko stated. The group of tenants felt their stomach sink. If the Fire Lord ruled against them, all was lost. They would have to vacate the lands and start over elsewhere, but many of them had been there for years and had a good relationship with their previous landlord.

"If he wants to rent them out, he can decide on the prices. It is his land, after all." he continued with a calm shrug. The nobleman shot the other party a small smirk.

"However… charging rent is one thing. Extortion, threats, and usury is another." Zuko added in a cold tone. Katara's heart pounded in anticipation and she fanned herself quickly with her own fan, gaining a bit more relief from the heat. Iroh simply sat calmly, fanning himself lazily.

"It is people like you that make Fire Nation weak." Zuko said icily, fixing his amber eyes onto Shin. The whole audience fell silent and this silence was very much palpable to Katara and Iroh.

"…My lord?" the nobleman finally managed to croak out quietly.

"You only have your interests at heart, not that of the greater good. The Fire Nation is much more than a few wealthy people. It is the citizens and workers of the Fire Nation that make it great."

Katara could only guess at what was coming. There were several things the Fire Lord could do and she wondered what consequence would befall the nobleman.

"As of now I am taking charge of all your properties." Zuko said. Shin looked as if he might faint.

"Henceforth, that rent will go to me in lieu of taxes. The rent will be what it was before Shin decided that extortion and unreasonable charges were an acceptable method of revenue." Zuko said, holding back a small smirk. Katara marveled at his brilliance. Instead of merely charging a heavy penalty or throwing the man in prison, he had just secured the loyalty of many people and secured a solid income for the royal coffers, as well as more lands for himself. Technically, the entire Fire Nation belonged to Zuko, but it was easier to let other people own the land and run it.

"Let this be an example to anyone else that may decide to extort honest and hardworking people. It will not be tolerated and the needs of the Fire Nation itself outweighs the needs of a few rich and powerful."

The Nation had stagnated for far too long under its old rulers, and if that had continued would have led to its own destruction, a fire burning itself out. He was willing to risk the ire of the people who wanted to stick to the old ways and traditions.

Whether anyone liked it or not, he would lead the Fire Nation along the the Golden Path to ensure its survival. During his Agni Kai with his sire he had seen it, a single shining thread leading him through the darkness and destruction that would be the future unless he followed this path.

"That's the end of this case. I have made my decision." Zuko declared. Those standing became seated and a few people murmured softly. Several highborn people started to look uncertain of themselves and Katara bit back a smirk as she fanned herself. The Fire Lord looked down at his papers again. Several of these cases had been on the waiting list for months.

The next case was a dispute between two farmers that lived at the edge of the city who argued over a creek that ran right between their properties. Both of them wanted full use of the creek for themselves. Zuko ordered that they would both have to share it and learn how to cooperate on the rights.

Katara listened quietly but intently, taking in all of the judgments the Fire Lord made. He did rule in favor of the nobles in several cases, but she could tell that he listened and tried his best to come to good decisions and she sat back, fanning herself quietly as she listened.

o0o0o0o

Katara had the rest of the day to herself, and she mused on what she would do as she returned to the Fire Lord's chambers. She took out the elaborate pins in her hair, putting it in a simple braid.

When she was in court she was expected to dress the part of a consort in all her finery, but Zuko did not mind what she wore out of court. She was glad for that – she felt more at ease in simple clothing, with her hair pulled back plainly instead of some elaborate style. Personally she thought all the pomp was a waste of time and was glad she only had to dress like that for Court.

Katara changed into a simple dark red tunic and loose pants, sitting on her side of the bed and sighing softly, trying to decide what to do. It was now mid-afternoon and she had a variety of things she could do, but she didn't feel in the mood to do any of them. And some of the things she really wanted to do, she couldn't do. Like take a stroll along the beach. She could take a walk along the Palace grounds or orchards – there were even a few springs or ponds, but it wasn't the same. She missed the feeling of sand between her toes, and hated the fact that she couldn't leave the Palace City without Zuko.

It had been a while since she did any real Waterbending. She certainly couldn't do it in front of others and had done it only in the privacy of Zuko's suite. She had yet to start Bending lessons with Iroh and suspected that her teacher was still trying to figure out the best way to teach her.

…But who said she had to wait? In the village she had taught herself. She could continue doing so. She had seen Fire, Earth, and Airbending and the different styles and movements it took to manipulate these elements, and she had a basic understanding of the Bending principles of her own element.

But she didn't want to work with water whips or spheres, since she had done plenty enough of that and wanted something new.

For most people, water was considered the weakest of elements. The other three were more readily accessible, but Waterbending required a body of water nearby. It had been easy to Waterbend in the South Pole, as the stuff was everywhere, but since she left she noticed the lack of readily accessible water, especially in the drier parts of the world.

But hadn't Iroh said that water was all around them? Why not use that? If she could do this, then she could increase her Bending skills greatly! And it would give her something worthwhile to do. She didn't want to wait for Iroh or continue Bending the same tricks.

She slid from the bed, concentrating on the moisture in the air. The balcony doors were wide open and the day was balmy. There was no mistaking the presence of water in the air.

_I can do this_, she told herself excitedly. She had not done much bending since Zuko captured her because of lack of opportunity and the need to conceal herself among other reasons.

When there was a body of water nearby, she could feel it very easily and had used that ability to locate water for Sokka and Aang several times during their travels. Detecting it in the air was not as easy because it was always in the air and she had grown so used to it as to practically ignore it. She would not make that mistake again.

Slowly, Katara raised her hands until they were at chest level as she took a deep breath, concentrating on the water around herself, keeping her eyes closed. The only sense she focused on was the one that came with her Bending and she let out a slow breath, sensing the miniscule amount of water that accompanied it.

_Come on_, she told herself, feeling her mind reach out. Slowly she probed out, reaching further, around her body, over her head, gently pulling at all the water she sensed. Her brows furrowed in intense concentration and she could feel it, _feel_ it…

Slowly, her eyes opened as she saw a thick mist around her. She held back a smile, concentrating even more, seeing that mist thicken and… if she concentrated even more, she could coalesce it…

Drops of sweat formed on her brow, but she was barely aware of it. She felt her hands start to shake as she narrowed her eyes concentrating on the water that surrounded her, seeing it thicken and…

_Almost there_…

A low moan escaped her lips as a wave of dizziness hit her, and it felt as if her legs had suddenly turned to butter. Still, she held onto her concentration, or _tried_ to… but it was so damned _hot_...

The room spun around her as the mist quickly dissipated back into the air, but she barely noticed as she fell to her knees, feeling a dull pain accompanied by a stronger sense of vertigo before everything went black.


	28. Relief

**Hot Water**

Chapter XXVII – Relief

o0o0o0o

Hana approached the double doors to the royal suite, nodding at the guards before she gently knocked, waiting for her lady to summon her in. Katara was usually in the suite around this time for an afternoon siesta if she wasn't doing something otherwise, and after a bit of silence, she knocked again, much more firmly. Maybe Katara was just in her own apartment. The guards admitted her, and she crossed the soft red and gold carpet of the front room to the small set of doors to the right of the room.

"My lady?" she called out softly, knocking the door. She furrowed her eyebrows and pushed the door open a little, peeking into the sitting room, wondering if perhaps Katara was not responding because she was in the washroom. Carefully, she slipped into the sunny room, but the apartment of the Royal Consort was empty. Hmm. She frowned and backed out, going to Zuko's bedchamber in case Katara was napping there.

"My lady?" she called out again, her small feet slowly moving across the marble and the soft rugs into the bedroom. She gasped softly when she saw a body on the floor.

Katara was sprawled out on her stomach, her arms splayed out. Hana cried out as she rushed to her mistress' side, rolling her over onto her back and checking to see that she was breathing. After quickly checking for a pulse and hearing a soft moan, she started screaming for the guards.

"The lady needs help! Someone get the doctor!"

o0o0o0o

Katara groaned softly as she felt someone squeeze her hand and heard two people talking. One was fast and frantic, the other one was gentle and calm. As soon as she made a noise, the voices stopped for a moment before the gentle voice directed itself at her.

"My lady?" the voice asked. Dimly, she recognized it. She let out a low whimper in reply and felt her hand being squeezed again.

"What happened?" this voice asked, and the other replied. It was Hana.

"I don't know what happened to her. When I came up to see what she wanted for supper, she was already like this! I found her passed out on the floor."

"Any indication of what might have happened?"

"No, sir. I first checked to make sure she was breathing. There was nothing nearby, though perhaps this is from heatstroke."

"Mmhmm. That does seem to be the case. Go get some water, please."

"Yes, sir." Hana said. Katara felt the hold on her hand being released. She whimpered softly and tried to reach for her attendant's hand. She squirmed around a little, still feeling light-headed. She was relieved to see that she was feeling no pain.

"Katara? My lady? Can you hear me?" the other voice asked. She managed to nod.

"Very good." the doctor nodded. He checked her pulse again. It was strong and steady as well as her heartbeat – always a encouraging sign – although her breathing was still a bit shallow.

Her eyelids fluttered open and she looked up into a familiar face. Yan Jue Sylid was what most would call hatchet-faced, but right now his face was simply calm and kind. She felt his fingers on her forehead to check her temperature. It felt nice seeing him again – given the circumstances – and she looked up at him quietly.

"Sylid?" she murmured. He smiled and nodded. She tried to sit up, but he shook his head and gently eased her back onto the pillows. She blinked, realizing that she had been put up on the bed, wondering how long she had been out.

"Rest." Sylid commanded. She did not protest. Hana came back with a cup of water, and he helped Katara to drink it after Hana propped her head up with another pillow.

"Can you tell me what happened?" he asked as she drank down some of the water. She opened her mouth and then paused, deciding not to say anything about her Waterbending.

"My lady?" Sylid asked with concern.

"I… I just felt hot and very dizzy and then… I blacked out." she stated. It was the truth, after all, if not the whole story. Sylid simply nodded, having her drink a little more water.

"Would you like anything else?" Hana asked. She shook her head.

"Not right now, thank you."

"How do you feel right now?" the doctor asked. She shrugged.

"I still feel a bit dizzy, but nothing hurts."

"Very good, my lady." Sylid said before he looked at Hana.

"Will you excuse us? I must examine Katara."

"I should stay with her then." Hana said with genuine concern as she squeezed her mistress' hand, but Katara shook her head.

"I have been with Sylid before, it's okay. You can sit there." the Waterbender explained. Hana looked about to protest, but she bowed her head and moved over to the corner of the large room, where a plush armchair sat. This kept the physician in Hana's view, which was appropriate for Court protocol. As Royal Consort, Katara wasn't supposed to be alone with any man other than the Fire Lord. However, the distance ensured that as long as Katara and the physician spoke quietly, they would have privacy.

Sylid looked back down at her.

"It has been a while since I saw you." Katara said quietly. He nodded.

"Indeed it has. And how have you been? Had your… wound been giving you any trouble?"

"No it has not. You took very good care of it. It's all healed now." she said. He smiled a little.

"A couple of days ago, the Fire Lord asked me to examine you, and I suppose now is as good a time as any?" he asked. She nodded. Carefully, he unbuttoned her tunic, opening it partially and looked at the scar on her stomach, running his finger along it lightly and nodding.

"It has healed wonderfully. Is any lingering pain or problems that I should be aware of?" he asked. She shook her head.

"I have been eating normally and there is no more pain at all. I have noticed no changes in my body except for my weight loss but that was another thing…"

"Yes, you do look a little thin to me. I assume it is because you were unhappy here under Ozai and that took its toll on your appetite?" he asked. She nodded. He took in all of her vital signs again and asked how she had been eating and sleeping among other questions.

"So far you look to be in good health although you are still a little light. That is the only concern I can see. You have been exercising as well, I see." Sylid said as his eyes moved along her bare arms.

"Yes…?" she asked quietly, hoping she didn't look too muscular. She knew that she had more muscle tone compared to the standard Fire Nation noblewoman due to her training lessons.

"Keep on doing that. It is my opinion that women should exercise as well as men." Sylid said with a small smile. She smiled back. He seemed to be more progressive-minded than most men.

"I do believe there is one more reason the Fire Lord asked me to examine you?" the doctor said with a slightly raised eyebrow. She held back a sigh and nodded. She and Zuko had not talked about that little matter since their discussion that night and it felt good to not talk about it, but she knew it would have to come up sooner or later.

Sylid gave her a reassuring smile before he commenced with the last part of the examination.

o0o0o0o

The garden looked beautiful under the light of the waning moon and it felt nice to be back on her feet and getting some fresh air.

Hana and a guard remained close. After the examination, Sylid asked Hana to remain at her side for the rest of the day in case she collapsed again. Katara had tried to dismiss her, but Hana was too caring not to, and deep down inside the Waterbender appreciated the fact that her attendant was so loyal.

On top of that, when she had gone to the washroom before her walk she found a bit of blood, which only confirmed Sylid's diagnosis, and she was relieved. She never thought that finding blood would be give her relief or joy – the time of 'red moon' had always been a trial for her and she dreaded its coming every month. And she knew Zuko would be relieved when she told him if Sylid hadn't already done so. She had not seen him all day since she had been in Court – her presence might have no longer be needed, but the duties of the Fire Lord were many – and had eaten supper with Hana hovering over her protectively, which was almost amusing.

The gardens were beautiful, but she wished she was in a place not surrounded by walls. She could see guards along the walls and the watchtowers as well as a few Yu Yan archers. She had watched them train on the archery range a few days ago with Iroh and had been duly impressed by their skills.

What she really wanted was to go barefoot, to dig her toes into bare grass or better yet, sand and feel the waves around her feet. She wanted to be able to walk as she pleased without having a guard hovering over her, she longed to be accompanied by Aang or Sokka and reassure them that she was well. She wondered how he and Sokka were and if they were safe. If she asked Zuko, would he send people out to look for them?

She paused in her steps, looking over at the reflection of the moon in the pond and smiled a little before she continued walking. Finally, she decided she had been out long enough and stifled a yawn before heading back.

As soon as she approached the royal suite, her companions retreated and she closed the door behind her, going over to her wardrobe and removing her clothes, putting on a red silk nightie and matching knee-length bloomers before looking over at the bed, hoping he would be there. She was not disappointed.

He was laying on his back, the thin sheet covering half of his bare chest. The night was warm and he had pushed the rest of the blankets to the foot of the bed.

Tentatively she approached the bed, leaning her head against one of the posts at the foot of the bed, looking across the expanse of bedding at him. Zuko stared at the ceiling for a moment, deep in thought before he realized she was there He looked down at her.

"Are you okay?" the Fire Lord asked quietly.

"Just tired." Katara said softly, ignoring her cramps, "I hope that your day went well."

"It did. Although it seems that the meetings blur together as there's so many of them." he stated. She nodded quietly. There was just one lamp lit at his side of the bed and she studied his handsome features.

"Come to bed, Katara." Zuko stated warmly. She did just as he asked, climbing onto the bed and laying next to him, placing a light kiss on his cheek. He smiled just a bit before his face grew solemn again.

"I heard about what happened today." he said calmly. "I was very worried and was going to leave my meeting to go to you, but then I was told that you were fine. How are you feeling?" he asked.

"I am fine. You don't need to worry." she insisted, but he shook his head.

"Why did you faint?" he asked. She told him in plain terms. He stared at her for a moment before nodding and staring at her thoughtfully.

"I'm not going to stop you from Waterbending, but please be careful. You've never had anyone train you. You should wait a bit before trying that trick again. Talk with Iroh first, he understands the principles of Bending. I really do want you to hone your skills, but I don't want you to exhaust or hurt yourself."

"He hasn't started my Bending instruction yet." she explained. He nodded.

"Well, next time you see him, talk with him." Zuko asked.

"I will."

"As for the heat... even the mighty Fire Lord cannot command the air to be cooler. But you remember the cellars?" he asked. She nodded, remembering their tour. She had seen the kitchens, pantries, and other areas that were integral to the daily routine of Palace life. The cellars had been amazingly cool, the chambers large and spacious, barrels of wine and tubs of cheese among other things sitting in racks. Personally, these underground rooms had been her favorite part of the tour. And she and the Fire Lord had sampled the wine, delicious and refreshing. The cellars were simple, with a lack of pomp and decorations that was refreshing after the grand opulence of the rest of the Palace.

"Any time you feel hot, why don't you go down there? You can take a book with you, or play Pai Sho with a servant or guard, or whatever you want to cool off."

"I like the sound of that. Perhaps you will join me down there."

"Absolutely. We'll sip a little wine and hide from the courtiers." he murmured. Her delighted laugh met his ears.

"Honestly, I don't know how you can stand the heat. Is every summer like this?"

"Yes, but the winters are cooler and we do need jackets, but not parkas."

"There's no snow?"

"Fortunately, no." Zuko replied without thinking. He stiffened when he saw her frown.

"Is snow really that terrible?" she asked softly. He let out a quiet sigh.

"I didn't mean it that way. It's... Fire Nation summers are hard for you, but Water Tribe winters were also hard for me." He let out an involuntary shiver as he remembered the frigid climes of the North and South Pole, how his breath came out in mist and the cold winds bit into his face whenever he emerged from the warmth of the ship. All the hours he had spent traipsing through the snow, dealing with the bitter clime of the Poles. The Water Tribes truly were hardy to survive in such a clime, though in the Northern Tribe's case, it had been a Fire Nation attack that had destroyed it after these hardy people had braved the cold for centuries.

"It must have been so cold for you after growing up in this weather."

"I honestly don't see how you survived in that." he shot back gently. She smiled faintly.

"Then we're even, hmm?"

"It would seem so." he shot back lazily. He reached up to brush some loose strands of hair from her face.

"What did the doctor say? About... you know." Zuko asked. She knew exactly what he meant. He looked at her expectantly and she swallowed nervously.

"Well?'" he pressed.

"No." she said quietly. It wasn't until a sigh escaped his lips that Zuko realized he had been holding his breath. Katara simply lay there, waiting for him to speak. He stared at her silently for a few moments before nodding slowly.

"What did Sylid have to say about the loss of appetite and other things?"

"It was stress from all the things that happened before the Agni Kai."

"Did he recommend anything?"

"Just that I continue exercising and meditating, and to work on gaining back the weight I lost. He told me that I was in otherwise good health."

"Good." Zuko said simply. She gently ran her fingers along his bare arm, sensing that he was tense.

"You're so tense, Zuko. Would you like a massage?"

"I…would appreciate that a lot, Katara."

He rolled over onto his stomach before pushing down the sheets, revealing that he was wearing loose silk pants. Her fingers slowly traveled across his back, feeling and admiring the taut muscles. His skin was so warm, and she felt him relax as she touched him exploringly, hearing him murmur softly in appreciation. She smiled to herself a little before she pressed her fingers down more firmly, remembering the tips her attendant had shown her when she herself was being massaged and the way he reacted to her showed her she was doing right.

Slowly, she worked from the back of his neck to his shoulders and down his back, her fingers pressing out the tenseness in them and she heard him moan a little as she reached his buttocks.

"Do you wish me to go lower or continue on your back?"

"Lower." Zuko commanded. She nodded, her fingers feeling his tight rear end under the thin silk. She shivered a little in naughty pleasure as she worked her fingers into them. Zuko moaned softly in approval as he felt her knead him right there and smirked to himself, knowing she was enjoying it.

Today had been stressful for the Fire Lord. After he held court there were several meetings piled on top of one another. One with his advisers, one with all the generals and other high-ranking military personnel that were in Sozun at this time, and one with several major businessmen. All of them had argued a lot and he had to listen to them bicker like children as documents were piled up on him. He didn't even have time for a training session, as he didn't finish until late and simply took a short shower before retiring to bed.

He groaned in approval as he felt her hands on his feet, kneading the soles and rubbing them down. When she was done she gave him a gentle rubdown and he thanked Agni above for having her in his life. Not just for the massage but because she was good for him in more ways than he could count.

"Thank you." he said quietly as he rolled over onto his back, looking up at her.

She lay down next to him and curled up loosely, finding this position more comfortable when she had cramps.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly, noting her position. She simply nodded.

"Sure?" he asked and she nodded again.

"It's nothing really. Just… never mind." she said with a small blush. It wasn't really proper to talk about female problems with men, after all.

"No, tell me."

"It's… just cramps. I started... you know, this evening, It's nothing serious." Katara said. He glanced at her with mild surprise. _Already?_ So soon after Sylid's examination? But that meant her body was back to normal, didn't it?

"How do you deal with them?" he asked curiously. He remembered a few days on the ship, where she had slept like this and demurely turned away his sexual advances with a whispered explanation that she was 'unclean'. The drugs that had been given to her to ease the pain of her injury from Shi-Ryuu also worked to relieve the pain of her mysterious female affliction, but these drugs had also left her disoriented and out of it.

She merely shrugged.

"It comes along every month, one learns to deal with it. Just be glad you're a male."

"Doesn't it hurt?" he asked. He only had a vague idea about this aspect of the female anatomy and if women were in this 'condition' every month, how would they deal with it? How could one bleed without having wounds inflicted on them? When he was younger, he had thought girls were weird. He had grown up since then, but girls were still weird in a few ways.

She merely nodded, and he stared at her thoughtfully.

"Lay back." he asked. She looked mildly perplexed, but relented, stretching out on her back. Slowly he slid his hand along her stomach, just above her lower abdomen, and his eyebrow furrowed as he felt the knot of tension as his fingers traveled lower past the drawstring of her bloomers. His fingers gently pressed against her skin before he concentrated, intensifying the heat in his fingers and transferring some of that warmth into her.

She held back a soft gasp when she felt warmth seep into her lower abdomen and slowly, the throbbing pain died away.

"I don't believe it." she murmured softly.

"What?"

"The pain… it's all gone." Katara said, her eyes slightly wide with surprise. He smirked triumphantly before his expression softened.

"I don't like you being in pain."

"I appreciate it." she smiled as she snuggled up to him, taking his hand and kissing it gently.

"Any time, Tara. After all, it might be the woman's duty to serve her man, but I would not be a good Lord if I didn't take care of you too."

As she felt him rub her stomach idly, she closed her eyes and relaxed, vastly appreciative for his loving gesture. His reaction to her news – and his initial response to the possibility of pregnancy – showed her that he genuinely cared for her, and she felt better now. She let out a quiet sigh of contentment as his hand gently caressed her face and she closed her eyes before relaxing into his loving touch.

"I'm glad you care for me so much." Katara said gently as she nuzzled his hand.

"How could I not?" he replied. She blushed and looked down shyly.

"You are everything a man could want in a woman Katara. You are intelligent, kind, beautiful and passionate. You don't judge me by my looks or my position." He held her close and smiled happily, savoring the scent that emanated from her body and hair, kissing the top of her head and inhaling the faint scent of the rubyjasmine oil that she had used in her bath. As he did, she nuzzled his throat, inhaling his own scent. She loved how his scent was so clean and warm, with a faint tinge of smoke and spice, and his own distinctly male smell.

"You remember our first night together?" Katara asked, knowing the answer very well. She herself would – could – never forget it…

"How could I not?"

"After we parted ways...I never forgot your smell." she said quietly, placing a gentle kiss on his collarbone, "Sometimes... sometimes when I was with Sokka and Aang and I was sleeping... I'd think I smelled you and I woke up and you weren't there." she said softly, remembering waking up from pleasant dreams to being alone in her sleeping bag, longing for a warm body wrapped around hers.

Zuko lifted her chin up, looking into her eyes.

"I missed your smell too. The way your skin and hair smelled when I held you close… Sometimes I would think of you while I was alone and I would smile to myself."

"Really?" She had hated it back then, missing him after they had parted ways and wishing he had never taken her, but she had indeed missed him after that fateful night on the boat. And it was funny to imagine Zuko actually smiling to himself. Zuko smirked and nodded.

"I missed you." she said quietly. "I remember dreaming of you, and then I woke up and I'd remember how warm your body was and I'd feel sad and then be mad at myself for wanting you there…"

"I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"For not being there. For not taking you with me the first time around."

"Part of me was pissed at you for having me in the first place." she shrugged. She could not help but wonder what it would have been like if Zuko had no interest in her at all. Would he have found the courage to stand up to his sire if she hadn't encouraged him?.

"Are you now?" he asked. She shook her head.

"Good." Zuko smirked a bit more widely. She smiled as he lightly touched her cheek for a few moments before placing his hand over hers.

"Good night, Tara." Zuko whispered as she closed her eyes.

"Sweet dreams, my lord."

It certainly was nice to have someone bid him sweet dreams. His mother had done that for him when he was little, and it had been so comforting. Katara's kind words were no exception, and he idly rubbed her arm as she drifted off to sleep.


	29. Intimate Moments

**Hot Water**

Chapter XXVIII – Intimate Moments

o0o0o0o

The Great Wall of Ba Sing Se remained unpenetrated despite rumors of a great war machine to the west that would drill through the fortress, finishing what the Dragon of the West had been unable to accomplish over a decade ago. The comet was nearing, not yet visible but it could be felt by the few Firebenders that lived within the walls of the great Earth Kingdom city.

Messengers and traders came from the West with rumors that the old Fire Lord was dead and that there was now a new Fire Lord, and that he wished to end the War. Soon after that, official Fire Nation messengers came through bearing the same exact news, carrying decrees signed and stamped by the Fire Lord himself. Hostilities were to cease. All encamped Fire Nation soldiers were to move back to border Fire Nation cities for more permanent assignments. Earth Kingdom prisoners were to be freed. Naturally, this news was met with skepticism, but when the soldiers retreated and prisoners started trickling home, people nursed the hope that the War was actually over. It was said that Avatar Aang had escaped the clutches of the former Fire Lord, but the boy had yet to surface, and people wondered if the withdrawal was merely a tactic to lull the Earth Kingdoms into a false sense of security before what was sure to be an huge offensive attack.

Sokka had managed to escape the Fire Nation by traveling from one island to another, doing odd jobs and hitchhiking until he finally reached the Great Continent. From there he made his way to Ba Sing Se, where he knew his father and his men were headed.

It was great seeing Dad again, but the Water Tribe youth also hated to be the bearer of bad news. It had taken some hemming and hawing, and some beating around the bush before Sokka told his father what had become of his beloved daughter. Of course, Sokka would have gone after Katara himself, but there was no way he could rescue his sister or the Avatar from the Fire Lord. Best to go to his Tribe with the news, along with all the bits of knowledge he had gleaned along the way. Naturally, it broke Dad's heart to hear that his daughter was the captive concubine of a Firebender.

But along with the rumors of a new Fire Lord was that a Water Tribe woman was his consort. The story was that the then-Prince had brought a captive Water Tribe maiden with him along with the Avatar, and that same concubine was now the Azure Consort. Sokka wasn't sure whether he wanted to believe this story or not. He hadn't stopped thinking about his sister, and the sorrow in her lovely eyes as the soldiers had escorted him off the ship. Why would Zuko go through the trouble of making Katara a Royal Consort? Was that just a glorified name for concubine?

Another royal messenger came, bearing documents for the Water Tribes. Two copies of this message had been sent; the first to the Southern Water Tribe and the other one to the men at Ba Sing Se, where Katara had told Zuko the Water Warriors should be. The Fire Lord wished to ally with the Water Tribes. And below the Fire Lord's signature, Sokka recognized his sister's own. It had stunned him, and Dad had stared at it for several moments. It was almost impossible to believe that it was indeed Katara's signature. She could have been forced to sign, but he did not think it was possible. If it was supposed to be a trap, Katara would never sign it and lure her Tribe to peril. And Zuko didn't have to free her brother, but he had done so, leaving Sokka unharmed. Was it possible that Katara had influenced him? Could he hope that his sister was in a better position than he had dared imagine?

o0o0o0o

"There is a small ship going past us. It appears to be Water Tribe men on that boat." the soldier said, bowing to the Admiral as Zhao looked down at him with a small scowl. The Admiral had been in a foul mood since talking to Kougyo this morning.

He had been promoted to Admiral just before Fire Lord Ozai's death. He was to be one of the several elite hand-picked generals of the Fire Lord to perform the mighty final strikes upon the Earth Kingdoms and the Water Tribes. Omashu and Ba Sing Se would fall, and the last stronghold – if it could even be called that – of the Water Tribes was to be eradicated. Avatar or no Avatar, the strike would commence.

The exiled Prince had captured the Avatar and returned with the child to Sozun, forever dashing the Admiral's hopes of being the one to capture the elusive master of the elements. Still, he held hopeful, especially after his promotion to Admiral. The Fire Lord hadn't recalled him to Sozun, he had been given the task to train and prepare a large fleet for the final strike. He had envisioned coming home a hero, victorious. He could even be promoted to War Minister, though he would prefer to have an more active position and leave Qin where he was to deal with the bureaucracy that came with war. There was something to be said about the thrill of conquest.

He had been looking forward to this for a long time. And then suddenly, the news came that the Fire Lord was dead. Zuko – that whelp that had his face scarred after being too cowardly to fight his father – had defeated Ozai himself!

It had to be a nightmare, Zhao thought numbly upon receiving the news. Or a horrible joke, or some nasty rumor. But the next day, an official message came, sent out to all the generals and high-ranking military men. Fire Lord Zuko was now his ruler, his... master. He would have to bow to that scarred boy. Zuko could do all sorts of things. Demote him. Have him stripped of all rank. Executed, even, if he so desired it.

Over the next couple of weeks, almost daily dispatches were sent through the Nation, copied out and printed to be sent by boat, emu-horse, Kimodo rhino, red-plumed hawk, or just a human hand. They were nailed up on public buildings and plazas, read out loud and discussed in tea-houses and marketplaces.

Hostilities were to cease. The War was over. Raids and attacks would be seen and treated as treason. Soldiers were only to fight if they were attacked. Soldiers were to leave camps and retreat to Colony border towns for further orders.

And Zhao was left with his carefully-laid preparations brought to naught.

He had two options. He could wait quietly and see what Zuko wanted from him. So far there had been nothing. His men stood at ready. They were well-trained and well-fed. He knew he could not stay here forever. He would have to go to Sozun sooner or later. He could also rebel and desert, continue fighting for the Fire Nation, but he was wise enough to not pull off such a stunt. He had seen first-hand how unpopular the war was to many Fire Nation citizens, and it took a decent amount of propaganda and effort to counterbalance the dissenters. Much as he hated to admit it, citizens were as much of an integral part in the war effort as the military.

So he decided to wait for a bit and see how things went. But he did not have to wait long. Only a few weeks after Zuko had become Fire Lord, Kougyo had come his way with some interesting and vexing news. Like Kougyo, Zhao was a supporter of the War and of Fire Lord Sozin's goal. To have Zuko put a stop to all of that was vexing. What an insult to Sozin's glory! The scarred boy must be touched in the head.

Zhao mulled this over as he stared out at the water, listening to the man with half an ear. Upon the mention of Water Tribe, his memories of this morning's meetings were momentarily placed on hold. Water Tribe? It surprised him that they would come this way. He paused.

Kougyo had confirmed the rumor that Zuko had an Water Tribe girl as his Imperial Consort. The Fire Lord was not interested in other women, even the most beautiful daughters of the Fire Nation. Kougyo had seen with his own eyes the Fire Lord dismiss and turn down the offerings of lovely ladies for his harem. What red-blooded male would so easily turn away the most elegant flowers that bloomed in the garden of earthly delights? And this talk of peace and even alliance with the Water Tribes – what hold did the Azure Consort have on the Fire Lord? Yes, indeed. It was rumored that the women of the Tribes who could bend water were witches. This was supposed to be why the men of the Northern Water Tribe didn't want their women to Bend. He could not help but recall for a moment the little white-haired girl he had encountered at the oasis in the Northern Tribe and left for dead so many years ago. Damn Water witches. Now another one had come to haunt him from behind the Dragon Throne.

Kougyo was practically an exile – stripped of his rank and most of his wealth – but he still held valuable information. Zhao had a use for him yet. Kougyo was right, Zuko was young. In the rare chances that a Prince suddenly found himself Fire Lord at an young age, a regent was appointed to oversee the Heir's welfare and education until the young Fire Lord reached maturity. Seventeen wasn't _that_ young of an age, but Zuko had been in exile, away from the Court for nearly three years. Obviously he was affected by it and not ready to rule. It would only be right for the Fire Nation if a regent was appointed to oversee the Nation. The War could continue, and Zuko would eventually be grateful. After all, many of the men of Court had served both Azulon and Ozai. The War had been successful thus far.

There was no reason to let it all be lost just because of a young Lord's inexperience. He would have guidance for a few years. Zhao, Kougyo, Qin, Chan, and all the other generals and ministers needed time to guide the new Fire Lord. Eventually, Zuko would thank them for their wisdom. He would rage about it for a while, to be sure, but a few years should take care of things. The water witch would be disposed of. Without her poisonous influence, Zuko would see the correct order of things and become a Fire Lord that would make Sozin proud.

_Hopefully._

Zhao looked through the telescope. There was no doubt of it. He had killed enough of these barbarians to recognize the dark skin and hair, and the blue eyes. The ship was small, but unmistakably of Fire Nation manufacture. And apparently, the men aboard that ship were unafraid of them. It approached them, slowing as it came up to their side. He had been considering an attack, but the vessel was small and the group of men he saw could be easily overpowered. No problem. Let's see what they want, hmm?

He ordered his men to allow them to board as his lieutenant came out on the deck to greet them. As he watched from the window, he was startled to recognize the younger male of the pair that came aboard. It was the boy who had been traveling with the Avatar! No one knew where the Avatar was right now. As he saw the older of the pair pull a scroll from his shirt and show it to Lieutenant Yizhu, a plan formed itself in his head, and he smirked to himself coldly before turning to the man next to him.

"Capture all the men abroad that ship and put them in the brig. Do it quickly."

o0o0o0o

Yes. Going to Zhao had been an excellent idea. They had been private supporters of one another for a long time. Where he was well-regarded in Court for his power and wisdom, so Zhao was respected on the battlefield. The Fire Lord's promotions of this man had confirmed the correctness of Kougyo's choice of alliance.

Zhao was certainly his ticket back to power. Everyone knew how favored Zhao had been under the former Fire Lord. And there were still men in Court who supported the War. It had to go on. Fire Lord Sozin had embarked his Nation on this goal, and it had to be seen through. A youthful and inexperienced Fire Lord could hardly be counted on to make the soundest of decisions especially after several years out of Courtly business.

The water wench would be punished for her audacity in casting her wiles over the Fire Lord. An alliance with the Water Tribes, where the hell had Zuko come up with that? Katara would be stripped of her rank and cast away. Perhaps as an exotic captive to be used by the nobles for their pleasure. Or slowly and painfully tortured. Perhaps a combination of both. That was an exciting thought. Or would an simple and quick execution be best, to guarantee that her evil influence over the young Lord be eradicated. Decisions, decisions.

But he could wait. The Water Tribe men were secured in the brig. It would be exciting to dangle their safety before the Water whore's eyes. But for now, it was to be a secret, like Zhao said. All the men on the ship had been given an gag order regarding their new captives. That bitch would never know what hit her.

With a smug smirk on his face, Kougyo entered the cabin he had been assigned to temporarily. It was a decent cabin, but nowhere near as posh as he would have liked. The mat was not quite soft enough for his old bones, and there were no servants to bring him tea or lunch or otherwise attend to any of a number of things he would want. The sole other occupant in the room was Lily, his concubine. She sat quietly in the corner, a teapot sitting on the floor, steam rising from the spout in a wisp. There was no table, and he groaned softly as he sat on the edge of the mat.

Silently, Lily poured him a cup and handed it to him. Without a word of thanks or even acknowledgment, he took it. Being in this room made him cranky already. He still had an small estate on Ember Island and had been planning to stay there with Lily. But he had changed his mind at the last moment to go see Zhao. He wished he was in his warm and comfortable bed, enjoying the warm air with his concubine as he thought about what to do next. But no, he was stuck in this cabin, left with minimal amenities. He had left most of his things on Ember Island, thinking he would return quickly. But Zhao insisted that he stay.

He knew there was usually a price to be paid to get things one wanted, but that didn't mean he had to enjoy it. The cabin was drafty and he could feel his joints aching slightly from the chill that pervaded the air on this cloudy day. At least he had Lily to warm him up.

The girl sat in the corner, meditating as her master sipped his tea. He did not talk to her, which suited her just fine. She had been his concubine only for a few months, and she hated him. She wished he had simply left her behind on Ember Island. It'd be nice to have a few days without a dirty old man pawing at you, and spend some time with girls her age. For once she could feel like a normal girl for a few days, instead of a concubine to a man old enough to be her grandfather, and she mourned that lost opportunity. And she hated the way he leered at her.

But what choice did she have when Kougyo's possession of her body meant that her widowed mother and her little brothers and sister would have food on their table and a roof over their head? She ate well, and so did they. If not for her detested benefactor, they would all starve. So she bore his attentions silently. And she had learned more than what even Kougyo would have expected. Her silence made her a good listener. She had listened to the conversation between her master and the Admiral as they shared tea. She had seen the Water Tribe girl a few times at social occasions. She had seemed kind, and it was strange to hear Zhao and Kougyo speak with such malice of someone simply because they were of Water blood.

The Fire Lord surely wouldn't like seeing Kougyo again. She certainly didn't blame him. And it seemed that Zhao did not care much for the new Fire Lord. And now, despite the Fire Lord's decree, these Water Tribe men had been taken prisoner. She had lost her father in the War years ago, her mother pregnant with her youngest brother. They had been average citizens from farming families. Father had become a soldier because he was the youngest of several brothers and thus had no inheritance in his already poor family. And now with him dead, Mother could barely support herself as a seamstress. Her poor health meant she could only work so much. Lily was thirteen, barely a woman and not considered old enough to be a proper wife. All she was was a pleasure companion to a man that was obviously desperate to enjoy youth in his last days. If Father had never died, things would be different. If the War had never happened. If Ozai was still the Fire Lord. So many what ifs...

Lily held back a quiet sigh, lifting her face to the cool breeze that wafted in from the small window. But the wind suddenly stopped with the sound of a click, and she opened her eyes.

"It's drafty." Kougyo said. She knew better than to argue with him. Disobedience meant that he would stop sending food to her family, but could he afford that now? Dare she risk running away? It was something she had considered ever since Kougyo's humiliation in front of the Fire Lord. But she had no money of her own, and she knew a girl her age was especially vulnerable on her own. So she sat there silently, head bowed. It really wasn't that chilly, but Kougyo chilled easily. It was one reason why he hadn't left her on Ember Island – he always wanted to hold onto her warm body as he slept. She hated it, of course, and usually wiggled away after he fell asleep, leaving him to drool on his pillow instead of her back.

"Come. Warm my bed." she heard him whisper.

"Yes, master." She stole one last glance through the closed window.

o0o0o0o

Katara stood at the edge of the now full bathtub, looking forward to a nice and relaxing soak after a training session this morning. She looked down at the water, opening her robe, wishing the Fire Lord were with her to share this simple pleasure. She missed him already. She had not wanted him to leave this morning, but of course, he had duties to do. The festival was coming up and there was lots of preparations going on. She felt a little left out from it, but at least she had Hana to keep her company whenever she wanted, although she had just dismissed her attendant so she could enjoy her bath in privacy.

At times she felt very lonely and although she tried to not hold it against Zuko, she could not help but feel frustrated at times. She longed to feel the wind in her hair, or the sand and water under her feet, or walk along a path in the forest and feel the leaves over her head. She had taken all of these for granted and she felt very hungry to be out there, away from the manicured order of the Palace grounds and gardens. She tried to tell herself that here she was safe, she was loved and provided for and given opportunities no other woman ever had, but that didn't stop her from yearning for freedom.

As she looked down at the hot water – the heat provided by her Firebending guard – Katara wanted Zuko's body pressed against her, inside of her, around her as they shared the heat of the bathwater. She felt the wetness between her legs, and squirmed around as she recognized the sign of arousal. Without even thinking, she had drawn a water whip out of the tub, and blinked when she realized what she had done. Water served many purposes among her people and as a Bender she could take full advantage of all of them, she thought with a shiver as naughty thoughts pranced through her mind. The heated water whip floated in front of her, twining sinuously like a snake, and she shivered with desire, knowing full well that it was no secret that men could amuse themselves when they were alone. So why couldn't women? After all, they had the same capacity for pleasure as men, Zuko had shown her that.

**(smut here. You know where to find it)**

o0o0o0o

Zuko thanked Agni for helping him to survive the meeting. The last week had been filled with them, and as much as he wanted to simply ignore them, he was Fire Lord. It was his responsibility, and his decisions affected the Nation and the world. He certainly was not going to slack off, not when fast action and decisiveness counted.

Every meeting always had a few dissenters, people who held to Sozin and Ozai's beliefs and he knew that the transition from their ideals to his would not be a smooth one but some of them were truly frustrating, and he was glad he had gotten rid of his head adviser.

Sometimes he felt tempted to scream at these men or throttle them to 'get them with the program', but he had to remain calm and in control and show them that he _did_ know what he was doing. He knew what he was doing when he went through the records and his father's correspondence. He knew what he was doing when he had reviewed the cases of those in the dungeons and let most of them go. He knew what he was doing when he called off the sieges of Omashu and Bai Sing Se and canceled all the campaigns to expand into the Earth Kingdom. He knew what he was doing when he fired a few of his advisers or generals, he knew what he was doing when he promoted certain people, and he sure as hell knew what he was doing to restore balance to the world.

He was the Fire Lord and he didn't care if people thought he knew what he was doing as long as the doing got did and that was it. But sometimes he needed a break from the doing, and so had scheduled the next meeting for much later. He had almost three hours to himself, and he knew what he was going to do with that precious time.

This was the first time in a while that he could have lunch with her, and he looked forward to it. He left in the morning and usually didn't come back until late, and sometimes it was so late that she had already eaten supper, but she didn't complain or punish him for being left alone. She was not petty like the noblewomen or whined and demanded his attention, and he felt that she was bearing up well under the circumstances. Things would become better later on, when things settled down and he did not have so much business to handle. He barely had any time to himself except for the dark hours and now with the Festival coming up…

He shook his head to clear his thoughts, trying to loosen the burden he felt on his shoulders, wanting to feel young and carefree again. He was not going to let these free hours go to waste, not for himself or for her.

Well, she was about to receive a pleasant surprise, and he smiled to himself as he approached the royal suite, deciding to check there first before he went anywhere else in search for her.

The front room of her apartment was empty and he shrugged, striding into the other room after opening its door when he heard a sudden, low moan come through the door of the washroom. He paused, striding over to the door and pressing his ear against it. Another sudden moan emerged, and he wondered if Katara was okay, if she was nauseous again or had hurt herself. The door was locked.

But he would not be deterred. As Fire Lord, he held the only key to Katara's apartments. Quickly retreating to his bedchamber, he found the small golden key and returned to Katara's door. He slid the key into the lock and turned it slowly and carefully, inching the door open. His eyes widened at the sight.

**(delicious Zutara smut!)**

She buried her face in the pillow to let it absorb her tears as she felt him slow down and then flop down at her left side, pulling her down with him. As he held her, she could feel his heart pounding.

Zuko blinked as he saw the tears on her face and gently pushed her face up to his so he could kiss them away.

"I'm sorry for hurting you."

"You... you didn't." she whispered, burying her head in the pillow again.

"But you are crying." Zuko whispered as he lifted her face up again, refusing to let her hide it.

"It just felt so good, I couldn't help it." Katara replied softly with a smile. He let out a small sigh of relief and nuzzled her.

"But next time, I spank you." she said with a smile, her hand sliding down his side and to his rear end, squeezing it a little.

"Be my guest." he replied with a mischievous glint in his eye.

Katara gently stroked his head, enjoying the feel of his since was so thick and soft, and she liked the mop-headed look that his current length of hair gave. Zuko smiled and lay his head down on the pillow, looking at her as they snuggled together contentedly. The weather was relatively cool given this morning's summer storm and the balcony doors were wide open to let in some fresh air although the windows remained closed, keeping the room relatively dark. It was comfortable enough to lie naked on top of the comforter and sheets, and he let his fingers run idly along her arm.

"Katara?" he asked quietly as he looked at her. She nodded to show that she had heard.

"Are you happy here? Is there anything you need? Would you like more attendants? Are the servants listening to you?"

"I have all I need. I don't ask much of the servants but they _do_ listen to me. And I don't need another attendant. Hana is more than enough for me."

"Is she a good companion?" he asked. She nodded. She rather liked Hana, and Zuko had made a good choice assigning her to Katara. She came up every morning to check on Katara and see if she needed anything before serving breakfast to the Lord and his lady. She would then leave until Katara had something for her to do or wanted to spend time with her, and she would be dismissed until Katara wanted lunch, and then she would come again in the evening with supper. Sometimes, Hana would play games with her or take a walk with her and it was a nice break from being alone.

"Yes, she is a very good companion, and she does her job well." she nodded. "But you know what would be really nice?" she asked, propping her head up on her elbows.

"Go ahead."

"A walk on the beach. Or one through the woods." she said, waiting for his reaction. She longed to feel earth and sand under her feet, instead of marble. Zuko said nothing for a few moments before nodding slowly.

"I'll arrange something. Have Iroh and a few guards accompany you, he would enjoy a walk too, or wait for an afternoon or night that I am free of business and we can go." he said. She nodded quietly, still looking down. It wasn't the answer she wanted, but it was one she would have to accept for the time being.

Zuko noticed her reaction, seeing that she was trying to hide her sadness and sighed softly, holding her close.

"You know that I just want you to be safe, Tara. I love you very much."

"I know." she said softly, although deep inside she craved to just run out of the Palace barefoot and just frolic. She remembered her old life, where she had been able to go anywhere she pleased, take in fresh air, feel nature all around her as she walked by herself or with her brother or Aang. This place felt like a prison sometimes despite its grandeur and she longed for the simplicity and freedom that came with open spaces and feeling the earth under her feet.

"I have a meeting in a bit, but we still have time for lunch. I'm still hungry for _you_..." Zuko said, placing a light kiss on her cheek. Her eyes twinkled with delight.

o0o0o0o

Katara sat at the table with Zuko and Iroh that evening, having supper. It was indeed late, but none of them minded, and none of them wanted to eat alone. She said nothing as she ate her egg drop soup, listening to Zuko and Iroh talk about matters of the Court and Nation. Normally, such matters were not discussed openly in front of women and she was well aware of that. She would always be grateful to Zuko and Iroh for being honest with her and not treating her like a idiot regarding such matters.

Her thoughts wandered to Sokka and Aang and she wondered how they were and if they had found each other or Appa. Did they worry about her? Of course they did, she chided herself. She sent out a silent prayer to the spirits that they were well and unharmed.

She set down her spoon, having finished her soup, and went to her tea. It was ginseng, Iroh's favorite, and she had taken a liking to it too. Usually during a break in her lessons with Iroh or right after, she would have tea with him and found her time with him pleasant as she listened to his stories.

When she drank from her cup, she set it down, both of her hands resting gracefully at the table as she looked at the small platter of desserts, deciding which one to take. She shivered a bit when she felt something brush against her right hand and looked up to see Zuko with a small smile on his face. His hand was now resting atop hers lightly. She offered him a shy smile and felt him squeeze her hand. She was aware of Iroh's smile as the older Firebender glanced at the couple, but did not feel embarrassed.

"Young love, it warms my heart." Iroh murmured. "You two remind me of me and my wife."

Katara regarded him with curiosity, and he smiled back at her.

"Of course, what I also see is true love. I see it in your eyes, and it makes me happy to see the two of you so content."

A warm smile crept across Zuko's face and he nodded slowly.

o0o0o0o

After sampling the dessert, Katara could see that Iroh wished to speak to his nephew, so she bowed out.

"I'll be waiting for you, my lord." she said with a soft smile as she regarded Zuko before she murmured a goodnight to the Firebenders at the table.

After she left, the older man regarded his nephew with a intent expression.

"There's one thing I need to know."

"Go ahead, Uncle."

"Does Katara know what her… mark really means?" he asked. Zuko flinched a little. No one else knew of the mark, and it would have been death if Ozai had known. And he knew Katara would never tell anyone else. Neither would Iroh. He thought about his own mark, where it lay hidden under his robes, the symbol of his commitment to her. Having that mark reassured him.

"No." Zuko said quietly.

"Why not? I mean, I understand not telling her on the ship but now…"

"I don't know. I… guess I'm afraid to see how she would react."

"You think she would be angry with you?"

"I am not sure. We both know she was very upset at first. And with good reason." Zuko stated with remorse in his tone for the pain he had given her.

"She seems happy now. And you are Fire Lord now. You should tell her."


	30. Comeuppance

**Hot Water**

Chapter XXIX – Comeuppance

o0o0o0o

Being confined like this in small cells in the brig was a ordeal for the Water Warriors that Zhao had lured onto his ship. And for Sokka, it certainly wasn't the first time he had been placed in a metal cell. He almost missed Zuko, because the Prince – now a Fire Lord, he reminded himself – had treated him and Aang decently, giving them warm, nutritious food, blankets, even allowing them amusement in the form of board games. Zhao made no such concession. Sokka glanced down at the half-eaten bowl of gruel. He didn't know whether it was accidental or on purpose, but the gruel had been over-salted, so he and the other Water Tribe men ate it sparingly, preferring the stale bread and warm water that came with the slop.

Sokka hadn't wanted to believe it when he recognized Zhao. Lieutenant Yizhu had seemed okay enough, and he had taken it as a given that Yizhu would let him pass once he saw the scroll signed and sealed by the Fire Lord. The few Fire Nation men they had encountered previously had let them on their way, which had been promising. But then one other man had come to whisper into Yizhu's ear, and everything went to hell. There had been far too many soldiers on the huge ship for the Water Tribe to have any real chance to escape, especially with their small boat.

What was going to happen to them now? He would never forget the malice he saw in Zhao's eyes. And when Sokka had protested their captivity, citing the Fire Lord's decree, the man with the freakishly huge sideburns merely laughed. He gave out a low groan as he sat against the wall, stripped of everything but his shirt and pants. At least he didn't need blankets, the Fire Nation summers were rather warm. But without a window to the outside, it got stuffy in here. He wiped the sweat from his brow and let out an heavy sigh before he glanced through the bars, seeing the cell across the aisle. Dad was sitting cross-legged, his eyes closed as he meditated.

How could it have all come to this? How could they extract themselves from this situation? Zhao had not revealed much to them, but Sokka knew they were headed towards the Capitol. The trip would only be several days, so hopefully he wouldn't have to remain in here much longer. But what awaited him at the destination? Would he ever see his sister again?

o0o0o0o

The day was balmy, and for once, Kougyo actually found his surroundings too hot even for him. He was relieved to have lunch outside on the deck with Zhao, where a table and seats had been set under the shade. The food was simpler than Kougyo was used to, but the old man told himself that it was just for a few more days. He could deal with a few days of discomfort and inconvenience as long as he got his position and power back.

He poked his stew with his chopsticks, watching the chunks of meat and vegetable stir around. For the men working on this ship, this thick stew and the brown rice and orange that came with it was ample fare for any of them, and better than what some of them had been eating at home before enlisting in the army. Zhao had already eaten his orange and was now spooning some of the savory stew on top of his small bowl of rice, eating the combined food with relish.

Kougyo didn't like oranges because they were too acidic for him. He also didn't like grapefruit and lemon for the same reason, plus he just hated the citric flavor. The stew was too thick, the large chunks of meat much better suited for a soldier than a very old man.

After his banishment by Zuko, only three of his servants – out of an original staff of nearly twenty – had been willing to stay with him. They were on Ember Island with the rest of his possessions and luggage, waiting for him to return. He should have brought one with him, he mused as he fished around for smaller pieces in the stew.

Lily sat near him, but it was a long tradition that during occasions like this, when men got together for business or otherwise, women were excluded from the meal, there to attend and serve the men and nothing more. After these meals, the concubines could eat, either by themselves or with the other concubines in their master's harem or if they happened to be visiting somewhere else – such as now – they would eat with their host's concubines. So Lily sat quietly, filling Zhao and Kougyo's teacups as needed. She didn't like either man, but at least she was outside in the fresh air. She was no happier here on the Admiral's ship than her master was.

To her surprise, Kougyo pushed his orange towards her. She glanced up at him with a wondering expression, and he nodded briefly. After thanking him quietly, she dug her fingernail in the fruit's puckered tip and pulled back the peel. Unlike her master, she was fond of oranges. As she enjoyed her treat, the men started talking.

"It is imperative that we proceed about this the right way." Kougyo said as he fished out a few smaller chunks from his stew, spooning them into his mouth and chewing slowly. To Lily's private amusement, the Admiral seemed annoyed with the older man for stating the obvious.

She remained quiet, hoping that they would be so unmindful of her presence that they would reveal critical information. She had never personally met the Azure Consort, but had seen her a few times, and the Water Tribe girl seemed nice enough though there had been sadness in her blue eyes. And from what she knew of Fire Lord Zuko's new laws, she could not help but favor the new ruler of the Nation. Why would Zhao and Kougyo be so against ending the War? No more war meant no more people dying in battles. But then, she was certain that neither of these men had lost anyone they loved to the war. Kougyo never spoke of his family. He had had a few children many years ago, but his wife was long dead, and Lily had never met his offspring. War obviously carried no personal cost for either man.

Growing up poor, she had gained some perspective of the War. But as concubine to one of the most powerful men in the Fire Nation had given her perspective from a different angle. Of course, she had never set foot in the Council or War Room, but she had sat at enough dinners and social gatherings to pick up something here and there, and Kougyo's peers and fellow noblemen said things that were completely different than what her mother or aunties had to say about the war.

"I still have a fleet under my command." Zhao said. "I've been training them all this while, but thanks to Zuko, they have nothing to attack now."

"Such effort should never go unrewarded." Kougyo replied smoothly. He sipped his tea, and Lily moved forward to refill it when she noticed it was nearly empty. She retreated just as silently, sitting on her cushion.

"Indeed. It's an insult to the Fire Nation and to Sozin that a hundred years' of work should be thrown away. It is our duty to make sure that Sozin's goal is achieved."

"Amen to that. Why stop now? The Fire Nation has taken over half of the Great Continent. Our Colony towns are well-established and prosperous. The Fire Lord says we will hold onto the Colonies, but given what he has already done so far, he might end up giving them back to the Earth Kingdoms anyway!"

"Agni forbid." Zhao replied dryly.

"I wonder what the little Water bitch will say when she hears of our prisoners." There was malice in Kougyo's tone.

"From what I have seen, they're rather clannish. The prisoners should provide excellent leverage against Zuko's concubine. Of course, we cannot talk about them right away, so it's our secret for now. I need to assess the situation first." Zhao murmured. He wanted to see and talk with Zuko himself, and see just what the boy was like right now, and if possible, see Zuko's bitch up close.

"There are others on our side. We can count on the Taam family. The Fire Lord turned down Iyashii as a candidate for Consort."

Zhao let out a small snort. The Taam family was rather prominent at Court. The current head of the family was a distant relative of Zuko, descended from a younger sister of a previous Fire Lord many generations ago. The Taams had been a regular fixture at Court for generations, supporting Sozin, Azulon, and Ozai throughout the War. It was considered advantageous for other noble families to marry a daughter into the Taams, or to have a Taam daughter come into their families. Of course, the Taams were not the only family with such standing, but they had become such a fixture at Court that it did not do well to offend them for any reason.

"And my sister?" Zhao asked. Kougyo took a bite of his rice and chewed before he answered.

"She is... now personal attendant to the Water Tribe girl." Kougyo sat there quietly as Zhao's eyes widened in indignation. Lily quietly ate another slice of orange.

"That simply will not do." Zhao finally murmured. Letting Ozai have Hana was a way to increase his position, but now that Zuko was Fire Lord, Hana served no purpose in Court. He wanted to extract his sister from this... position of serving the Water Tribe slut. She would serve a better purpose in being someone else's wife or concubine. She certainly was young and pretty enough, and there were enough old men who did not care too much if their concubines were virginal. Some men actually preferred women with experience, who knew just what to do to please them than some blushing virgin. Others liked concubines with particular talents, and Hana was very good with musical instruments. Either way, Hana would serve his purposes.

A smirk spread across Zhao's face. If Hana was a personal attendant to the Consort, then she must have information he could use against the Water Tribe woman or the Fire Lord.

o0o0o0o

Lily found herself bored on this ship. There was nothing to do! As a concubine on a ship full of soldiers, it was improper for her to walk around. So unless Kougyo was with her, she was confined to the cabin. She missed her home, despite the poverty. The family might not have had much money, but there certainly had been love. Mother did her best to take care of her children, and her younger brothers had done what they could to bring home a bit of income – odd jobs and the like. But since she was the oldest of the children, her brothers were nowhere near old or big enough to find the kind of jobs that would provide long-term stability.

She leaned her forehead against the cool metal wall. Despite the small window being opened fully, it was still a bit stuffy in here. Hopefully after the sun went down, it would become cooler. She felt lethargic, and was in no mood to practice calligraphy or play the small harp she had brought with her. All she could do was think about the words exchanged between Zhao and Kougyo. What they spoke of was treason.

Inwardly, she rebelled against them. She frowned to herself. She had learned more about men than she had ever thought she would or wanted to since Kougyo took her as his concubine. At dinners and tea-house gatherings, she had seen men drunk on wine, sake or opium while arguing everything from politics to business to women. She had been inserted in a new and at times frightening world. And seeing Zhao and Kougyo plot against the Fire Lord was something she never would have thought she would ever witness. For the first time in her concubinage, she felt fierce. What they were doing was _wrong_, and she didn't want to just stand by and let them do it. She hated the old man and certainly had non desire to see him win. And after knowing Zhao for only a short time, she was repulsed by him too. There was something about his manner and personality that set her on edge.

She gasped softly when she felt something caress her cheek. She had the habit of getting so deep in thought that she would lose awareness of her surroundings. Her eyelids fluttered open as she saw Kougyo's hand, wrinkled and liver-spotted, its fingers curled loosely as he touched her face. She looked up to see him standing there, a small grin on his face. Inwardly, she shuddered, knowing just what he wanted when he smiled like that. Mother had told her what was expected of a concubine, but it had still been an ordeal her first time.

She almost hadn't signed the contract, but her family needed the money badly. At times like this, she had to remind herself of what her sacrifice meant for the people she loved, but sometimes she wished she had let her mother talk her out of it. Mother had her own misgivings about the old man and hadn't wanted to accept the contract, but like Lily, she knew what such a sacrifice would mean for the rest of the family. She even had to sacrifice her own name, just because Kougyo thought 'Lily' suited her better.

Her mind racing with all kinds of thoughts and possibilities, Lily let him lead her to the mat, closing her eyes and focusing on other matters so she didn't have to feel his hands and other parts on or within her body.

o0o0o0o

Outside the Palace, there were the gardens for both flowers and food, along with orchards and a fishery, ensuring that the Palace had most of the food it needed without needing to bring any in from outside. There were also the stables, a blacksmith/weaponry, archery range, training grounds, grazing area for the Komodo rhinos and chickens, and a small temple/meditation area among other buildings and areas, most of it in the back. This place was almost entirely self-sufficient, as if it was its own small city, and Katara was impressed with the efficiency with which it was run. All of the buildings were beautiful, with the elaborate construction and decorations that were unique to Fire Nation. She had to admit that they were indeed splendid to look at, and she actually preferred their construction to Earth Kingdom work. The curves and graceful lines reminded her in some ways of the way water moved.

Katara frequently walked around the Palace grounds while Zuko was holding Court, accompanied by her attendant and two guards. Having three people with her on what should have been a leisurely stroll made her painfully aware of her position, and the servants seemed to sense it.

She was the Azure Consort to the Fire Lord so her position was higher than all of the servants, and they all had to do her bidding – yet at the same time she was Water Tribe, without any connections within the Fire Nation whatsoever and therefore she was supposed to be lower than the lowliest servant. And it wasn't as if she could just pretend to be of Fire Nation, her skin and eyes set her apart from this world, literally and figuratively.

When she familiarized herself with the grounds on her walks she could sense it from everyone. No one was hostile, but she didn't miss their glances. They would simply bow their heads and say 'my lady', obviously waiting for her order, question, or acknowledgment. She longed to spark conversations, and familiarize herself with these surroundings and people, and make herself comfortable in her new home, but there was that unspoken wall between her and these people.

She didn't ever admit it out loud, but it hurt. She regarded all of these people in silence, not saying one word during her walk, and she would come back to the safety of Zuko's rooms feeling… even more out of place here. The closest thing she had to a friend was Hana, but the girl was her servant and paid to be her companion. It was at times like these that she missed the camaraderie she shared with Aang and Sokka. She had seen him as a friend, not as the Avatar, and she longed for him to be here and had wondered how he was, where he was, what he was doing at that moment.

But these things couldn't be helped. This was her home now, whether she liked it or not and she could only hope that Zuko 'cleaned' up things soon enough so that he was able to travel out of Sozun and take her with him.

This afternoon she was out in the Garden of Contemplation again, sitting near the pond and enjoying the soft and sweet scent of the fire lilies that grew nearby. Next to her was a lacquered lunchbox. Instead of taking lunch up in the suite, she had decided to take it outside and enjoy the flowers.

Today was another warm day, and she was thankful for the slight but refreshing breeze that managed to get beyond the imposing Palace walls. Knowing that it never snowed here made her feel sad. She had always loved playing in the snow and wondered if she would ever penguin-sled again.

She had dressed for the weather, wearing a cream-colored silk robe with an intricate fire design at the sleeves and hem done in gold thread, and a matching gold sash around her middle. In her hair was the fire comb that she was now used to wearing. On her feet, she wore gold sandals, and it felt nice to wiggle her toes against the grass. It felt nice to wear light silk, but she longed to strip down to her underwear and take a dip in the pond. She wished there was no one around, and she held back a soft sigh. She could take a cool bath in the privacy of the suite, but it wasn't the same.

As her guard stood nearby, she opened the top of her lunchbox, revealing slices of fruit which she savored, their cool moisture welcome on this warm day, and she smiled a little as she felt the juices slide down her throat. She had come to get used to the presence of her guards and take it as part of her routine.

The only time she wasn't watched over was when she was in the privacy of the bedchamber. Admittedly it felt a bit weird being under so watchful a eye most of the time, but she knew it was for her own safety, and the men assigned to her had served Zuko on his ship, so she was at least familiar with them and they treated her with genuine respect. She had also gained the respect of some of the servants, and was always careful with what she said and did, and she didn't scream or yell or make unreasonable demands, so she gained the begrudging acceptance of the household as its mistress. Fortunately, she had formed a bond with a maidservant named Ging Lei, and had promoted the woman to head of the personal servants that attended the couple.

As she lifted off the lid of the second compartment of the lunchbox, revealing dumplings, she stiffened when she heard familiar voices. She looked out of the corner of her eye to see the group of noblewomen that had previously harassed her. It didn't seem as they had noticed her, for she picked up snippets of their conversation. They spoke of the latest fashion, of some opera they had attended the night before, and of suitors among other things. She remained silent, eating a dumpling. She was not going to hide from these women, and if they decided to harass her again, she would hold her head high.

She could have chosen a private garden to sit in, but this garden was the biggest of all, and Iroh had advised her to observe the courtiers and make her own assessment of them. Katara had to agree with his commonsense advice.

Finally they caught notice of her, and sauntered along the path to the pond as if they had been headed there all along. Katara ignored them. The guard stood there silently, although he had tensed slightly.

"Look who's here again, girls." the ringleader smirked. Katara kept a straight face. She had learned this woman's name because Zuko knew exactly who she was. This woman's father kept trying to push her at the Fire Lord. Ozai himself would have more than approved of this girl as a companion for Zuko. Possibly for himself.

"And why wouldn't I be here, Iyashii? I have as much of a right to enjoy this garden as you, if not more." she said coolly. A flicker of surprise passed through the woman's eyes at being named correctly, but she quickly hid this behind a laugh. She was bedecked in scarlet satin with a black under robe that was visible, and Katara wondered if she was hot or uncomfortable, especially with that hairdo on her head. The dark-skinned girl couldn't count the gold pins or flowers in these raven tresses.

"Ohh, you _are_ a naive one, believing that you deserve to be here."

"I am Zuko's companion. I can be here if I want to."

"The word is _concubine_, little girl… concubines only warm a person's bed and serve no other purpose." Iyashii said with a sneer, and the other women tittered.

"Which is a lot more than what you're doing for the Fire Lord. And do keep in mind that I am the Consort, not a concubine. Remember that." the Waterbender shot back calmly, keeping herself from smirking. Iyashii's eyes flashed for a moment as she saw that she wasn't getting the rise she wanted out of Katara.

"For now, anyway..." the older woman said with a dismissive shrug, fanning herself with delicate strokes, her scarlet fan fluttering so that the sunlight caught in the golden dragon sewn into the fabric.

"Now, if you're done being petty, I will get back to my lunch." Katara said as if she was dismissing a servant, knowing full well how that was going to rile the other woman.

"Who said we are finished?" Iyashii snapped. The blue-eyed girl didn't bother to look up as she spoke, acting as if she found the contents of her lunchbox to be far more fascinating than the group of girls in front of her.

"Don't you have _anything _better to do?" the Water Tribe woman said, putting on an air of mock boredom as she took a bite out of her dumpling.

"What can be better then proving our superiority over a barbarian?"

"I have higher rank than you." Katara stated simply, looking up at the other woman. This was even more so, because there were no other women sharing the Fire Lord's bed. The fewer women that a Lord had, the luckier they were considered to be, especially if said man was immensely wealthy or powerful.

"Only because Zuko is a young and fire-blooded male, and they do not think clearly enough. He's only what, seventeen? Men of that age will frolic with whatever catches their fancy. But I see you as the commoner that you are."

"They don't think clearly enough? Then tell me why our Lord is doing such a fine job running the Nation."

"Because he's being manipulated by a Water Tribe barbarian. He called off the Great War, and refusing to use the Comet's power to deal the final blow. What a disgrace."

"Your logic is flawed and would be dangerous if the Fire Lord heard you. For one, you insult his decision of choosing me, and no one questions the Fire Lord's decisions… at least, without consequences." she said, remembering what Zuko told her of Kougyo, "Two, you say that he lets me manipulate him, that is so not true because he does as he pleases and I have no control over the state of affairs. Three, if I really was manipulating him into doing a fine job, then I am making good decisions foe the Nation so you would actually be complimenting me. So I thank you for your kind words, even though I don't try to manipulate him at all." Katara said with the slightest of smirks.

Iyashii looked as if she had just swallowed a bug, and the Consort's smirk was replaced by a pleasant smile. She flashed the group a sweet smile, knowing it was the last thing they expected. A couple looked away, the rest simply looked confused.

"I miss the days of Fire Lord Ozai… at least he knew how to deal with filth." Iyashii snapped, quickly recovering and squaring her shoulders haughtily.

"He was a dishonorable man. And filth, hmm? My lord will be displeased to hear that. He rules the Nation with honor and will make it stronger." Katara retorted. Iyashii made a dismissive sound.

"Zuko may have defeated his father in the Agni Kai, but at least Ozai knew that Water Tribe people needed to be exterminated, that's why he kept raiding them."

"Just because we're a different element?"

"Because the Water Tribes are weak, pathetic, and uncivilized."

"Oh, so we're weak? Let me ask you a question." Katara said, rising from her seat, holding her chin up as she eyed her adversary levelly. "If you and me were set loose in a forest to find our way home, who do you think would win? You, my dear, would just crawl into a log and die."

The guard had to hold back a chuckle and Iyashii narrowed her eyes. Katara however saw a twinkle of amusement in the eyes of one or two of the other women.

"No, I would just set the forest on fire." Iyashii responded rashly, and Katara shook her head slowly. She had learned from Zuko that Iyashii had Firebending ability – as well as her father and brother, and women with that ability were preferred as Consorts or primary wives to guarantee strong heirs. If she remembered correctly, Zuko's own mother had Firebending ability, though Ozai hadn't wanted her to actively use it.

"You know what would happen if you actually did that? You would perish in the fire, if not that then you would suffocate in the smoke. You would die either way."

"Or I could just set you on fire right here and now." Iyashii said, narrowing her eyes further. The guard took a defensive stance, forming a fireball in his own hand as Katara narrowed her eyes right back. The other women seemed stunned by what their superior had just said. Threatening the Fire Lord's woman? That was crossing the line.

"You would incur our Lord's wrath." Katara said, hiding her fear, knowing full well how much fire could hurt. She knew for a fact that female Firebenders were not trained to use their abilities like men as a way to keep them subservient to the dominant sex. But that didn't mean that Iyashii couldn't be dangerous…

"So you have to hide behind the Fire Lord for protection?" Iyashii sneered.

"The Fire Lord is aware of our… previous encounter. He is protective of me and he is not pleased that you would mock his choice."

"So you run to him like a little girl and tattle on me?"

"Actually no, I wouldn't have told him but he found out from a guard." she shrugged, "You can choose to believe me on that or not. I don't care. But I will not put up with your abuse. You are beneath me." Katara said icily.

"Is that so?"

"Yes." Katara replied stiffly, staring back at the dark haired woman.

"Bitch." the noblewoman hissed back. The Waterbender fought the urge to Bend some water out of the pond and knock down the woman.

"Is that so?" she asked. Iyashii smirked back at her, so she took a step towards the offending noblewoman.

"You and me. Here." she challenged.

"So sure you are up for it, sweetie?" Iyashii asked as the guard stepped forward protectively.

"Are _you_ up for it...dear?" Katara asked in the same tone.

"I know I am." the Fire Nation woman shot back haughtily, and the other women tittered,

"Really want to dirty yourself fighting a _commoner_?"

"If I must, then I will." she replied, although Katara noted a slight edge of uncertainty in her voice.

"Tsk. I thought a noblewoman had better manners than that." she said as if chiding a small child, taking satisfaction in the angry glint in the noblewoman's eyes.

"You're not worth it." the dark-skinned girl stated, shrugging casually and making as if to simply return to her lunch.

"I could say the same thing for you." Iyashii said, taking on a cool tone similar to Katara's own.

"I will not let you treat me like garbage." she said coldly, "I did not come down here to the gardens to be harassed."

"Then what did you come here for?"

"To enjoy this nice day and have lunch."

"Well, you are not welcome here. Go back to your little… ice house or tent or whatever the hell your people live in and leave the real world to us."

"No thank you, I rather like it here in the Palace with my Lord."

"_Your_ lord?" Iyashii asked. The dark-skinned girl held back a knowing smirk and shrugged.

"Go back home to the stupid and tactless woman who had the audacity to give birth to such a ugly dark-skinned girl." the raven-haired woman added as a final and biting statement.

That was the last straw. Without warning, the Waterbender spun around and stormed towards the other woman until she was but a foot in front of her. Iyashii's height did not intimidate her and she brought up her hand, pointing it at the older woman, her finger but a centimeter from the noblewoman's nose. To her satisfaction, Iyashii looked surprised.

"_Do. Not. Ever. Dare. Insult. My. Mother!_" Katara said firmly, her blue eyes flashing dangerously. Iyashii snarled back at her, raising her hand as the guard quickly stepped forward.

"Back." Katara said, raising her other hand to the man. The guard looked a bit confused, he had clear orders to keep the lady safe but at the same time he was to follow her orders. He hovered close by, but kept a short distance.

"I'd think a noblewoman would know better than to insult one's parents." the guard said dryly.

"I'd think a lowly guard would know his place." the noblewoman shot back acidly.

"Shut up!" Katara snapped at her. She was not going to have her guard, who she knew was a good man, put down like that.

"Be silent, little one." Iyashii looked down at her.

"You be silent! The Imperial Consort orders you!"

"I will not obey the order of a glorified prostitute."

"Glorified prostitute? It's the position you're vying for! As well as any other noblewoman here! Is that what you're saying? That you want to be a so-called glorified prostitute?" Katara snapped back. It was clear the woman wanted Zuko for himself. Well, not really for him himself, but the power and luxury that would come with being in the bed of the Fire Lord.

Katara was unprepared for the slap that occurred and for the look of hatred on the woman's face. But she would not back down, and responded with a firm slap of her own, more powerful than Iyashii's because Zuko and Iroh encouraged her to physically train herself.

"I hope that teaches you... your _place_." Katara sneered, feeling her own cheek burn, but she didn't wince in pain or rub it like the other woman did. She met Iyashii's eyes challengingly.

The noblewoman snarled and suddenly lunged at Katara, all pretenses of courtesy gone. The Water Tribe girl quickly sidestepped her and grabbed the back of her robe, spinning her towards the pond.

When Iyashii realized what was happening, it was too late. She tripped over the hem of her robes, stumbling wildly and flailing her arms in a desperate attempt to regain her balance. This sight was comical, and she finally fell into the pond, causing the koi fish to scatter.

Katara knew that what she had done was not ladylike… but to hell with that. This woman had insulted her, her mother, and her people, threatened her and slapped her. So she didn't care what the others would think – she was more than justified. And Zuko would agree, without a dounbt.

Iyashii's screams filled the air as she flopped about in the pond as if she was drowning, when Katara knew that the pond was no more than two meters deep at the lowest point, but the noblewoman was far from that area. After what almost seemed like forever, the noblewoman finally flipped herself over and sat in the water, the surface of the pond just below her breasts. Her hairdo was totally ruined and several loose strands of it hung over her face, getting plastered to the wet skin.

The other women gaped openly and Katara blushed when she realized that she had a small audience – a couple of servants had been watching through a window, the guards in this garden had their attention on her, and there had been a few other women in the garden, older noblewomen and their attendants or daughters.

The Garden of Contemplation was a popular place for women whose husbands, fathers, or brothers were members of the Court, as it was a prime gathering place for gossip and seeing rare flowers. Admittance into the Court areas of the Palace and gardens were reserved for the highborn. Basically, the throne and several council/meeting rooms were the social place for men and the Contemplation Garden was for the women, that was how it was. The sexes came together to socialize in the Palace only when a party or banquet was held. And only these areas were open to the public at the times that Zuko stated, otherwise the gates were closed. All other areas of the Palace and grounds were always shut off and guarded, but being Royal Consort, all areas of the Palace grounds were open to her.

She knew that tongues would be wagging for this… but, whatever. Let it not be said that the Azure Consort would allow herself to be abused or slandered.

Iyashii's screams filled the air and Katara sighed softly. If it was herself in the pond, she wouldn't have thrashed around for so long. She would have simply gained her footing and climbed out of the pond, not scream and cry like a child. The noblewoman's robes clung to her form as she shakily rose to her feet and Katara glanced at her quietly, not offering her a smirk or any expression of animosity.

Katara watched quietly, her hands on her hips as Iyashii came out of the pond, soaking wet, and whimpering softly. She would do nothing more to the other woman unless she provoked her. And she could feel the eyes of the others on her, so she held her chin high, holding a dignified pose.

The disgraced noblewoman tried to do the same, but with her ruined hairdo and mud and sand-stained robes, she simply could not achieve the same effect. Still, Katara remained silent. She had already bested the other woman and proved herself, so she was not going to rub it into Iyashii's face even though she wanted to very badly. But there was one thing the Waterbender would do, just because it felt good. Katara flicked her fingers slightly, causing the water coating the noblewoman's body to suddenly chill, forming a thin layer of ice. The noblewoman gave out a surprised hiss, but between the sun and the heat of her own body, the ice melted almost instantly, leaving no evidence of what the Waterbender had done.

"You… you…" Iyashii sputtered furiously.

"Yes?" Katara asked calmly.

"You ruined my…hair and robes! Look at me!"

"You don't need to tell me to look at you. It's hard to not see what's right in front of me." the Azure Consort replied evenly.

"My father will hear of this!" she screeched.

"If your father hears of this, then so will the Fire Lord. You hit me, threatened me, insulted my mother and me and tried to attack me. There are witnesses. You made the first move against me. I wasn't trying to do anything to you and I gave you no reason to hate me."

Iyashii glared at her fiercely, her brownish gold eyes glinting hatefully.

"You are a lucky woman, Iyashii. I know who your father is, he is one of the more powerful and wealthy nobles and you come from a distinguished line. You have led an easy life of luxury and comfort. You are one of the few privileged enough to come here and enjoy the Imperial garden. Yet you chose to make me your enemy when I have done nothing to you."

"You seduced the Fire Lord." Iyashii said accusingly, "You, a little peasant!"

"Actually no I did not, he saw me and chose me. I made no attempts to seduce him, yet he desired me." Katara said. Iyashii stared in disbelief at the last statement. The blue-eyed woman shrugged and continued, "I know you think my people are filth but we are not. Just because we don't live the way you do doesn't make us barbarians. We do what we have to do to survive. I learned that it never snows here, but in the South Pole you cannot escape it. We have to fight every day to survive, but it is what makes us strong. So don't you dare look down at my people or me. You would not survive one day on your own in a wild forest much less a frozen tundra. So please – hold your tongue and keep your nasty comments to yourself. I might be a so-called peasant but I am also the royal consort and the Fire Lord chose me because he wanted me, not because I seduced him. Do you know what could happen if I complained to him about you? Do you know what could happen to your _family_?" Katara asked, her eyes glinting sharply.

She could tell by Iyashii's uncertain glance that she did indeed know. Katara had learned many things here, and one of them was that the actions of one person could affect the whole family. Zuko could strip this woman's father of his power and rank if he so chose and this lady's petty actions alone would give him reason enough.

"Good." Katara said, nodding just a little, "I can tell that you do know. Now, I will tell you this – you have ruined what would have been an otherwise lovely day. Thanks a lot."

Iyashii whimpered softly, obviously uncomfortable in her wet clothing. Usually, when a guest visited a host, the host would offer to lend a change of clothing to the guest if something like this happened. Wealthy hosts often had a wardrobe full of spare clothing on hand just for their guests. Katara was not in such a charitable mood at that time.

"If you sit out in the sun long enough, the clothes will dry. Also, I suggest that you at least remove that heavy outer robe and hang it, so you and the robe will dry faster."

"Aren't you going to give me dry clothes?" Iyashii whined.

"Why would you want to borrow the clothes of someone you think is beneath you?" Katara asked acidly, "Now you think highly enough of me that I am a gracious hostess, that I might know the rules of hospitality? Why, I thought that I was nothing but a backwards barbarian and a glorified prostitute to you. Make up your mind!"

Iyashii's eyes flickered to the ground as she realized her position, and the other girls murmured to themselves quietly. Katara sighed softly and looked to her guard.

"I think I will finish my lunch in private. The settings have become quite... ugly and unpleasant." she said to him in a considerably warmer tone of voice than she had spoken to Iyashii with. The guard bowed and nodded.

"As you wish, my lady." he said, quickly retrieving her lunchbox.

"You're just leaving me here?" the noblewoman demanded, and Katara shrugged.

"You don't enjoy my company so I won't put you through with it any longer You can stay here or go back home, I don't care. I also don't care what you think of me, the only opinion that matters to me is the Fire Lord's."

Iyashii squirmed in her robes, trying to relieve herself of the feeling of cloth stuck to skin. The other women glanced at her curiously.

"Oh, and I would suggest to the rest of you to have minds of your own. Don't follow her around like she's your master or something. And…don't try to do to me what Iyashii did. It's not what…_civilized_ people do." Katara added icily as she left the garden.

The youngest girl in Iyashii's group stared at her ringleader for a moment, considering Katara's words. She had never liked Iyashii, and the only reason she was even part of this snotty woman's clique was because her father was a lesser nobleman. Her father hoped to secure an alliance between his own house and that of Taam. With seven daughters – and not a single son despite the concubines he had – a union between one of his own children and a Taam son would be beneficial.

But Ty Lee certainly had no desire to marry a Taam son, especially one of Iyashii's brothers. She certainly didn't want that snotty woman as a sister-in-law, or any sort of family relation,.period! Infact, the Royal Consort seemed as if she would be a better – and truer friend. As Ty Lee glanced over at the sopping noblewoman, she shook her head slowly.

She had often wondered if she was the only girl who ever tired of the politics that came with being from a noble family. She would very much rather run away to join the circus! But she kept her thoughts to herself, ignoring Iyashii's complaints as she glanced over at the retreating Royal Consort, seeing the dark-skinned girl disappear with her guard amidst a grove of palm trees.


	31. Intrigue

**Hot Water**

Chapter XXX – Intrigue

o0o0o0o

Katara inhaled the scent of the jasmine tea as Iroh poured her a cup, seeing the steam rise from it in a faint wisp into the warm summer air. Despite it being a warm day, the heat from the tea didn't bother her, and she always looked forward to tea with Iroh. She could almost swear that what he did with the tea was magic, because there was no other possible explanation for making leaf-flavored water – as Zuko so aptly put it, out of Iroh's earshot – so good. Iroh said he made it with love, and if love was a solid, tangible substance, then she certainly could see how he made such an ordinary beverage so appealing, refreshing, soothing, and uplifting all at once.

The Royal Consort took another deep breath, inhaling the scent before she took a sip. It was jasmine with something else, she did not recognize the flavor, but it was good. Her gaze slowly slid from the table to the small pond near the veranda, seeing a turtleduck with several babies in tow. She loved the little babies, they were so fuzzy and adorable. She had spent a few pleasant afternoons with Zuko out here, feeding them. She knew it was something he had enjoyed doing with his mother. As she did, she fanned herself gently, gaining relief that had been denied on this muggy day where the air was still, feeling almost like a warm, wet blanket. A trip down to the cellars was in order. Perhaps Zuko would join her. Autumn couldn't come soon enough!

"It certainly is warm, isn't it?" Iroh asked casually, pulling out his own fan.

"I'm surprised you noticed at all. It often seems to me that I am the only one who feels the heat."

"We might be more used to this climate, but that doesn't mean we don't feel it." The aged Prince smiled faintly, always a sign that he was reminiscing about a fond memory.

"What are you smiling about now?" Katara asked, having learned to recognize this.

"The cellars were always a nice place to cool off on an especially hot day, but it was also a fun way to hide from Court. Lien-yi and I often sneaked down there when we tired of Courtly engagements and duties."

"What was she like?" Katara asked upon the mention of the dead Princess. Iroh sighed softly and took a sip of his tea before continuing to talk about his wife. Lien-yi had been dead for almost fifteen years. She had died not long after Ursa became pregnant with Azula. But unlike the infant, Lien-yi's death had been long in coming. It had all started the day Lien felt a pain in her breast, and discovered a lump. She had lasted almost two years before she finally succumbed to it.

"She had a wonderful sense of humor and laughed a lot. She always knew just which story my father might want to hear, and she was so wonderful with welcoming Ursa to the Palace. She was a wonderful hostess, but she was also honest and open-hearted. But she was also a wonderful wife and mother. She always listened to us and always knew just the right thing to say to make us feel better. She would have liked you."

"What was Fire Lady Aila like?"

"Ahh, Mother. Now there was a classic beauty. She was said to be the most beautiful woman among her peers, and even as she got older she was still beautiful. She was always so regal and calm, even in private. I remember once I accidentally set fire to her robe when I was doing Firebending practice, but she simply put it out and ordered the servants to fetch a new robe. She was always able to calm Father's anger. In Court she always looked so regal, as if she truly were born to the position." Indeed, Aila had been very highborn, a distant descendant of a long-dead Fire Lord. She was also a Firebender, and it was said that it was how Azulon had ultimately chosen her as his Fire Lady. After she died, Azulon had bestowed upon her every title possible and had a grand mausoleum built for her.

Azulon had very few concubines during his long reign, even less when Aila was still alive. It was clear that he respected and cared for her very much, and though his attention might wander for a moment, he always returned to her, holding her above all other women in his regard. It had been devastating when she died, and Fire Lord Azulon was never the same again.

"But now this place has a woman to brighten these halls again." Iroh said with a cheerful smile. "A new era has started, one of peace. It has been far too long since this place has had a lady to warm the heart of her lord."

"Doesn't this place have enough warmth already?" Katara shot back teasingly.

"Not in the cellars." he replied knowingly.

"Did anyone ever catch you?"

"A few people would see us come and go down the stairs, but there's quite a few good places to hide."

"It's hard to imagine you sneaking down there."

"That's what helped keep it a secret." He winked at her, and she chuckled softly. Figures that the royals should have their own secrets. Of course, some had more than one...

As they sat on the veranda, enjoying the scenery around them as Hana played a pipa in the background, Iroh let his thoughts wander.

It really had been too long since there was peace in the Palace, or the Nation itself. Hopefully it would be a more lasting peace this time around. And he also liked the peace he saw in his beloved nephew's eyes whenever Zuko looked at the Waterbender. Ursa would have liked Katara.

He missed Ursa nearly as much as he missed Lien-yi. He would never forget the happy times they had spent together. At first he had felt guilty, as if he was betraying his dead wife, but Ursa needed a friend, and Ozai was not the type of person who would seek an actual friendship from women. Certainly, at the beginning of their marriage, Ursa and Ozai had seemed like they would be a happy couple. Ozai doted on Ursa and bestowed upon her the title of Princess Consort. The title of Royal Consort was reserved for the honored wife of the Fire Lord, and even after Aila's death, Lien-yi and Ursa were designated as Princess Consorts.

It had been a mild surprise that Ozai had chosen Ursa as his Royal Consort after Azulon died, because at that point, their marriage was already strained. The new Fire Lord enjoyed the conquest of concubines while Ursa was left alone to raise their son and mourn their daughter.

Ursa deserved better. She had been highborn, a descendant of Avatar Roku and a daughter of a old but noble bloodline, destined for the bed of a nobleman. She had no real say in her choice of spouse. What Prince Ozai wanted, what he got. It was so hard to please him, the younger Prince lacked his older brother's good humor and jovialty. He might be amused by a new concubine, but after a while he always grew bored. Nothing seemed to make him happy, and Ursa certainly had tried her best to please her husband. But there was only so much she could do for a man who seemed to be incapable of happiness.

He let Hana's pipa-playing lull him. The girl did have some talent, he noted. Right now, she was playing a song he recognized from his own childhood, a pleasant and cheerful melody called 'Dragons Frolicking'. His free hand lightly tapped out the rhythm on the tabletop. After long days in Court and tedious meetings, it was so nice to just be able to sit for a while and enjoy some music and tea.

He smiled to himself as he remembered Ursa's own skill at playing instruments. Lien-yi had no talent for music and Iroh had always had an ear for music. Many were the quiet and peaceful afternoons when he – and in the beginning, Ozai as well – would sit in the garden and listen to her play. Even Azulon had sat in on these sessions. Music had become a refuge for the Royal Consort as her husband turned his attention towards other things. After Azulon's death, Ozai had taken a turn for the worse. Not that he was openly violent, but he had become even more distant than he had already been.

"My lord." he heard someone say, and since he was so lost in his thoughts, it seemed an echo from his own memory. However, the title was repeated more loudly, and he opened his eyes, seeing a guard kneeling at the base of the pavilion steps. Katara was already regarding the man with mild curiosity. Hana had stopped playing.

"What is it?" Iroh asked calmly.

"The Fire Lord requires your presence. It is urgent."

Urgent? Zuko certainly wouldn't have sent for him with an urgent command if he did not consider it truly important.

"Very well. My apologies, my lady." Iroh said with a slight bow of her head. She smiled faintly and shook her head, waving at him gently.

"I'll see you later."

"Enjoy the rest of the tea."

"I will." Katara glanced at him as he walked down the steps and left the garden with the other man.

"Should I resume the song?" Hana asked.

"Nah. I'd rather you come up here and have tea and tell me a story."

Hana smiled at the Royal Consort before setting down her pipa and approaching the table.

o0o0o0o

Zuko knew that this confrontation between Zhao and himself was inevitable, but he still felt tightness around his throat as he looked down at the message. Admiral Zhao was on his way and would be here tomorrow. The message had been formal, stating that the Admiral had come to pay his respects to the Fire Lord. But Zuko knew better. Zhao's contempt for him wouldn't disappear just because he was now Fire Lord. And what was more, he was certain that his long-time rival had something up his sleeve. Their rivalry had been too long and bitter for peace to exist between them.

The message sat apart from all the others on his desk. There was no mistaking Zhao's signature, and he drummed his fingers impatiently on the desk as he waited for the servant to bring Uncle in.

He heard Uncle greet the guards and servant before entering the ornate chamber. As Fire Lord, he had several offices scattered about the Palace and grounds, so he might choose whatever setting suited him. All of these offices had the same kind of furniture, and all scrolls and other important papers were brought to the designated room.

Zuko had chosen the small building that overlooked the orchards, enjoying the peace and quiet as he heard the rustling of the leaves. It had helped to keep him in a decent mood as he went through his papers, making decisions about this or that. But the sudden appearance of a servant with Zhao's scroll had soured his mood. He had fumed for a few minutes before gathering his thoughts and summoning Iroh.

He glanced around at the ornate but comfortable room. The walls were plain, but the pillars were carved with dragons winding around them. The ceiling was red with gold and silver gildwork, depicting heroic scenes from Fire Nation legends. The floor, like the pillars, was polished mahogany, dark and glistening around the red area rug in the middle of the room. The rug had a lush Oriental design, gold and orange against rich crimson and stark white to create a mind-boggling pattern. The windows were all opened to let in the maximum amount of fresh air while the shades kept the room cool.

"My lord, should I put out some tea for you and Lord Iroh?" his servant asked from the door. Zuko looked up, seeing the old man with his head bowed.

"That will not be necessary." Iroh very rarely drank tea that others made, and besides, this was a important matter. He didn't want to sit around drinking tea when this needed to be handled. There were different angles he could go on with this. He could have Zhao arrested, or let the man present himself in Court. Uncle would know what to do and offer some practical advice.

In several minutes, his uncle was seated across the desk. The Fire Lord silently slid Zhao's message to the older man and let him read it himself.

Iroh raised his eyebrow. He was well aware of the animosity that was deep-seated between Zuko and Zhao. His nephew was showing maturity in consulting his elder about this matter instead of taking the opportunity to simply demote or imprison his rival. What could this be that Zhao said was so urgent? An attack from the Earth Kingdom?

"What do you think is the best course of action, my lord?" Iroh asked.

"You don't have to call me that." Zuko replied faintly. Iroh smiled. It was hard to not think of Zuko as the Fire lord right now, with the regal attire that his nephew was wearing and the fact that they were discussing official matters. It was a respect that he was honored to afford to his nephew.

"You'll have to tolerate it from me as long as we're speaking of official matters." the older man shot back good-naturedly. Despite the irritation caused by Zhao's message, Zuko smiled at his uncle.

"So, what do you think is the best course of action here?" Iroh asked. He wanted to see what his nephew thought and wanted to do before giving advice.

"Well, regardless of what has happened between us in the past, I am the Fire Lord. And I also defeated him in an Agni Kai. I would be ungracious if I did not allow him this opportunity to present himself and see what he has to say."

_Bravo_, Iroh thought approvingly. He nodded as he looked back down at the scroll.

"I'm thinking about treating it as nothing special. Generals came here all the time to bring news and discuss strategy. And then I will decide what to do further after seeing what he has to say. And have my guards keep an eye on him."

"Are you truly so suspicious? I know you have had your rivalries in the past, but Zhao loves the Fire Nation, and is bound to obey its Fire Lord. You could use him in another capacity. He could continue to train soldiers."

"Where? Certainly not here!" Zuko retorted. He had pardoned Jeong Jeong from exile, and the man had arrived just a couple of weeks ago. He could not pass up the former exile's expertise, and having been exiled from the Fire Nation himself, he and Jeong Jeong had that in common.

"Well, like you said, you wanted to wait to see what he had t say. You don't need to decide that right now, of course."

"Of course." Zuko never could understand why Uncle could be so friendly to Zhao. Of course, it might have something to do with the Admiral being a kiss-ass and showing the Dragon of the West a level of respect he had never shown to the younger Prince.

"Well, then. Perhaps a banquet tomorrow evening, then?" the older Firebender asked. Zuko snorted softly.

"I'm not doing anything special for him."

"A small banquet. To show your support for your army."

"I've shown plenty of support already." Zuko muttered. The Fire Nation army no longer had to worry about needless deaths. Men continued to train, but no more were being sent off to fight. Soldiers found new positions guarding Colony towns, which many actually enjoyed. One could still fight and defend one's country without a massacre.

"Zhao was a very prominent man during your father's reign. And he is still very important. Consider this as a gesture to the Court."

"Very well." The Fire Lord appeared as if he was about to pout, but he collected himself, glancing outside the window.

o0o0o0o

The Gates of Azulon stood open as Zhao's ship approached this critical barrier. The statue of Fire Lord Azulon looked stern as it always did – truly a good facsimile of the usually dour-faced ruler. There was a message from the Fire Lord himself, sent via messenger hawk when they were but an half hour away from landing. He was to report directly to Zuko with his news.

Not surprising. The Admiral smirked as he rolled up the paper in his hands, scrunching it before straightening it out. He had already discussed things with Kougyo. Zhao would go by himself, since he had not declared his co-conspirator's presence. He had a bit of bogus 'news' ready for his initial encounter with the new Fire Lord. He hoped that the Water witch would be there as well.

His reception at the docks was formal, but nothing grand. Imperial guardsmen escorted him as he rode his Komodo rhino. Two of his best men accompanied him. They were here ostensibly to corroborate his news, but they would also serve another function as he spoke with the Fire Lord.

The gate to the Palace City opened, and he went through the short tunnel, emerging into the manicured elegance of this royal residence. The paths were kept clean swept, and all the plants from trees to flowers and even vegetation were all beautifully groomed. Various buildings large and small stood singly or in organized compounds, the red shingles of the roofs providing a rich contrast to the green he saw everywhere.

The Palace loomed before him, a grand and massive structure which spoke of the power of Fire Nation engineering and ingenuity. Again he could not help but think of how foolish Zuko was for wanting to end the War. The Fire Nation had the might to deliver the final blow, and Sozin's Comet was not far away! The young fool would soon learn to respect his elders. He could not wait to see the look on Zuko's face, but now was not the time nor place.

The Hall of Supreme Harmony, where Court was usually held and the golden Dragon Throne sat, was just as Zhao remembered it. The grand marble pillars seemed to disappear into infinity as they vaulted themselves at the ceiling which lay hidden in shadows due to its sheer height.

The sides of the room were thronged with courtiers and military men. Directly ahead of him the Dragon Throne sat, its occupant garbed in quietly majestic robes of black and red silk. But despite the finery of his robe or decorations, there was no missing the scar that disfigured much of Zuko's young face. But Agni, he certainly looked regal, his shoulders back, his chin raised, his hair pulled back in a neat bun with the nine-pronged fire-comb that only the Fire Lord could wear.

Senior members of the Royal Family – Princes, brothers of current rulers, uncles, and the like – could wear seven-pronged combs. So could Fire Ladies or royal consorts. Princesses or second-level royalty, such as nephews, nieces, or cousins of the Fire Lord – wore five-pronged combs. Concubines of the Fire Lord or any royal relative wore three-pronged combs, though an especially favored concubine might be given the title of 'Princess' and earn the right to wear a five-pronged Imperial comb. Such concubines were sometimes called 'Phoenix Princess' since the phoenix was the lover of the dragon, and thus would not be confused with the princesses born of royal blood.

As Zhao approached the dais that led up to the Dragon Throne, he folded neatly into a bow while reciting the obeisances he would have given Fire Lord Ozai. He rose to his feet and stepped back. As he did, he caught sight of the fat old man and the water witch. They were sitting off to the side, bedecked in their own finery. Zhao felt his stomach clench as Kougyo's story of the Water witch proved itself true. In her hair was a golden seven-pointed Imperial comb. And she sat in the place reserved for Fire Ladies. He was appalled. Perhaps Zuko was a bit soft, but there was no doubt that this woman must have woven great power around herself and the Fire Lord. Well! That would come to an end... in due time.

The Admiral could feel her staring at him. She had such vivid blue eyes, like the white-haired girl from so many years ago. Filthy Water wenches. They could be so alluring, but that was what made them dangerous. It was even rumored that the great Jeong Jeong had deserted the army in part because of a Water Tribe woman.

"Greetings, Admiral Zhao. The presence of a experienced military commander is valuable in these times."

_Quite so, my Lord_. Zhao thought dryly.

"You told me that you come bearing urgent news. Share it with us." Zuko continued. Zhao bowed his head again before straightening himself.

"Omashu is preparing to attack the Fire Nation, my lord. It has ignored the peace treaty you sent them, and my intelligence tells me that they are going to strike out at Mentat. The regiments that I was given to train are fully armed and ready. I have overseen their training myself, and they are more than capable of bringing Omashu under our control. That city is second only to Ba Sing Se, and taking over it will show what's left of the Earth Kingdoms that they cannot defeat us."

Of course, Omashu had no such plans. Like Zuko, Bumi had put his men on the defensive after sending back a signed peace treaty. But given the century-long War, it would hardly be surprising if the Earth Kingdoms struck at the Fire Nation. Zhao wanted to take over Omashu and provoke Ba Sing Se into war again, so the Fire Nation would have no choice but to strike back. But it had to be done now, to give enough time to reinstate their plans against Ba Sing Se in time to take advantage of the comet. An attack on Omashu had to happen within a week, so Zhao and Kougyo had to act quickly.

"Then I will need to have an emergency session in the War Room." the Fire Lord stated, appearing to take the Admiral in all seriousness.

Inwardly, he suspected something was afoul. Katara had also signed the peace treaty Zuko had sent to Omashu along with a personal message of her own, to reassure Bumi that Zuko did want peace. It had been sent back quickly, signed and sealed along with a personal message from Bumi regarding a summit in the future. That had yet to be planned, but right now there were more serious matters. Of course, he could not dismiss the possibility that Katara might have been wrong about Bumi, but he could not ignore his gut feeling.

So for now, he would act as if he believed and trusted Zhao.

"The Fire Nation is grateful to you for being so hasty to alert us to this danger. By all means, we must discuss this immediately." The Fire Lord rose from his seat, signifying an end to open Court. Such important news had to be addressed as soon as possible, despite the courtiers already waiting with their own petitions. Inwardly, Zhao was smug as he saw these petitioners grumble amongst themselves. With a nod to his men, he watched as they disappeared into the crowd, seeking several men that would be immensely helpful to their plot.

o0o0o0o

As the Fire Lord turned to leave the courtroom, Katara found it hard to rise from her seat. It had been a while since she had seen Zhao. She had seen him briefly at Roku's temple, and at first had not believed that it was really him. But it was. He was the man that had killed her mother in the raid. Sokka hadn't recognized him because Dad had been off fighting the soldiers, and Sokka was near him. But she had seen this horrible man kill her mother. Just because he wanted to exterminate the last Waterbender in the tribe.

As Iroh started to rise from his cushion, she grabbed his sleeve, feeling light-headed.

"Please. Help me up." she whispered. She felt strong hands slide under her arms to help her from her cushion, momentarily pressing her against his warm bulk. Had he lost some weight, she wondered as she righted herself, his grip gentle on her arm. His stomach didn't seem as big as it once was.

"Are you all right, my lady?" Iroh whispered.

"I... I need to talk to you. In private."

Iroh noted the expression on Katara's face, and he nodded. Behind the Throne Room were several comfortable, private rooms used for personal meetings or for a royal or concubine to take a few minutes of privacy and introspection for themselves, or to take a break if they felt ill or faint. The door closed silently behind them and Iroh led Katara to a plush armchair. The Royal Consort took several moments to collect herself, Iroh hovering around her protectively as Hana fanned her. After several moments, Katara shooed her attendant, and Hana retreated to the door.

"What's the matter, my dear?" Iroh asked gently.

"That man out there... Zhao. He's the one who killed my mother."

Iroh swallowed. There was no denying that a soldier took lives, it was part of the job. But he had never endorsed, nor would he tolerate the slaughter of innocents from his army. Even during the siege of Ba Sing Se, he had refused to harm innocents. Zhao at been at the Great Siege of the North, as well. If any man could earn so much personal hate from any Water Tribe member, it would be Zhao.

"I see." He stroked his beard. "I will inform the Fire Lord right away. We are having an banquet tonight. I hate to ask this of you, Katara... but can you not bring this up to Zhao? Not because he shouldn't be punished for his crime, but the Fire Lord suspects that he is up to something."

"Of course." Katara swallowed thickly, and Iroh squeezed her shoulder.

"You do not have to talk to him, of course. And I will be sitting with you at Zuko's table."

"Thank you, my lord."

o0o0o0o

The Fire Lord was so stunned when he saw Kougyo behind Zhao as they arrived at the banquet. What the hell was that old toad doing here? Around the tables set through the room, heads turned as the Admiral made his way. His personal aide and Commander Yizhu accompanied him, along with a couple of other men, and Kougyo and his concubine. Zhao had asked if he could have a table for himself and the men he was bringing with him. Zuko had complied because he had no desire to share his own table with the Admiral. So this table sat front left, giving them a good spot without being the center of attention, and Zuko certainly didn't want the spotlight on his rival.

Zuko had stripped Kougyo of his rank and most of his estate holdings, but he had never expressly forbade the man to come back. His suspicion of Zhao having something up his sleeve was only further justified by the presence of the old man. Each and every man in Zhao's small group bowed and recited the proper obeisance to the Fire Lord. Zuko decided to hold back a comment about Kougyo and see how things went.

This was a fairly small banquet, its guest list restricted to nobles and high-ranking military men, some of who were both. All the generals now knew of Zhao's news. The Fire Lord glanced over at Zhao's table, holding back a frown as he regarded the man that had killed Katara's mother. Right now the Waterbender was silent, sitting between Iroh and Hana at Zuko's left, looking exquisite in a red and gold silk robe. To his right were several of his most trusted men – Jeong Jeong, Kamas, Sylid.

As Zhao talked with his own men, the Fire Lord kept his eye on him. He had not become Fire Lord only to become complacent and inattentive in his position. Let Zhao laugh and make merry. He would pay for his treason soon enough.

o0o0o0o

The Royal Consort sat there as Lan pulled the seven-pointed fire-comb out of her bun and brushed out the thick locks that fell free. Hana neatly folded the robe Katara had been wearing and put it away before closing the small velvet boxes that housed all the jewelry that Katara had been wearing with her outfit, including the Imperial comb. The jewelry was then placed within a wooden armoire that was affixed to the wall of the room, providing a secure place to store one's jewels and prized possession. Hana locked the small door and handed the key to Katara.

The Royal Consort wound the red satin ribbon around her hand. Once her servants had retreated for the night, she would put the key away in its hiding place. Hana shooed away the other servant for a moment, leaning down to Katara, pressing a piece of paper in her hand.

"Lily – Kougyo's concubine – asked me to give this to you. She said it was rather urgent."

Katara nodded, palming the paper. Hana and Lan were dismissed for the night. Katara opened the paper, her eyes widening as she read the message that had been sent to her. She folded it and put it away, her mind racing with the possibilities that the letter portended.

The Waterbender relaxed with a warm shower before pulling on a white silk lace-trimmed nightie and matching underwear, slipping into the Fire Lord's bedchamber after pulling on a red satin robe embroidered with dragons frolicking among lotus flowers. One nice thing about bring Zuko's Consort was that she had a seemingly infinite amount of pretty underthings and garments to wear. Even just wearing lacy undergarments under a plain robe made her feel sexy.

Fortunately, she did not have to wait long. She was still awake when she heard the sound of the heavy door to Zuko''s apartments open. The Fire Lord whispered a hasty greeting to her before heading into the washroom.

She waited patiently as he got ready to turn in. He came out wearing nothing but a pair of loose black silk pants. That with his pale skin and hair made for a alluring sight, and she eyed him with a faint blush as he slunk onto the bed, his eyes glinting under the light of the sole lamp that was still burning. There was not much left of childhood written in his face or on his body, and she knew that when he was fully-grown, he would truly be a sight to behold. That warm, muscled body... these smoldering golden eyes...

_Dear spirits. _Zuko was powerfully enticing, and drew her in much like a moth to a flame. It was incredible how they had started out as enemies, and now she actually cared for him, and _desired_ him.

"How did it go?" she asked quietly referring to his War Room meeting.

"You heard Zhao's news. The generals are divided. Some want to attack Omashu. But I have the feeling that Zhao is up to something. Whatever it is, he get his reckoning. He will pay for everything he has ever done."

She nodded slowly, remembering the note from Lily. Inviting the concubine for tea – something which was well within acceptable behavior as Royal Consort and hostess – should glean her some valuable information. Lily did not place any information in the letter, but it could also mean that the young concubine was up to something as well. After her encounters with Iyashii, she was wary of the other noblewomen and concubines. Lily could be an agent for Kougyo. Either way, a one-on-one chat with Lily should glean her some valuable information she could share with Zuko.

It had been painful seeing her mother's murderer, but she had maintained her calm. She was after all, Royal Consort. Like Iroh said, she was in a position to do many things, and in her short tenure as companion and consort to the Fire Lord, she was seeing all different kinds of possibilities.

"I don't doubt that, darling." Katara murmured as the Fire Lord placed his head on her lap, letting her stroke his thick ebony locks. She ran her fingers through his hair, luxuriating in the softness as she studied his features, smiling back when he smiled up at her, feeling her heart flutter a bit within her chest as she became absorbed within his loving gaze. Mmm. Being the Royal Consort of the Fire Lord certainly had its perks.


	32. Matters of Court and Civilization

**Hot Water**

Chapter XXXI – Matters of Court and Civilization

o0o0o0o

The Fire Lord opened his eyes, seeing the warm glow of the early morning sun as it inundated his room with light, bringing out the golds and rich variety of scarlet in the room, making it seem warmer than it already was. He lay there, basking in the red-hued glow as he felt the heat stir within his veins. Fire Nation citizens tended to rise with the sun for more than practical reasons. Especially for Firebenders, the call of the sun was strong. The glow spread through his blood as he took a deep breath.

Even though the sunrise was barely beginning, everything was still nice and bright for him. He lay quietly only for a few more moments before sliding from the bed and going over to the balcony, opening the doors to their fullest. The sun continued inching its way above the horizon as he stood there, basking in its light. It was like taking a warm bath, the heat enveloping him in comfort. He tilted his face towards it, seeing the light through his eyelids.

His inner fire stirred, drinking in the light. The Fire Lord let out a quiet sigh, raising his arms, reciting a silent prayer to Agni as he did so, a custom Firebenders often did when taking a sunbath.

Katara stirred awake, seeing a shadow stretch across the bed and up the wall, its arms extending further to nearly touch the ceiling. She looked over to her other side, where the Fire Lord stood, his skin nearly white under the early morning light while his back was almost black in contrast. She lay there for a few moments before sitting up, one shoulder of her robe sliding off as she did so.

After a few moments, Zuko lowered his arms, letting his breath out in a slow exhale before he turned around, seeing her sitting there. The top of her lacy pajamas peeking out over the robe, her dark skin taking on a warm glow under the sunshine... there was no denying that Katara was a compelling sight. Even if she were clad in a burlap sack, he would desire her. His steps were slow and lazy as he returned to the bed. He reached out, sliding his fingers along her bare shoulder. She looked up at him quietly as he slid the thin white silk ribbon down her shoulder, baring a enticing expanse of flesh from her jaw to upper arm. His palm and fingers lovingly stroked that area, feeling her pulse as he touched her throat. His eyes slid along her body, noting the pattern of dragons frolicking amidst lotus flowers on her robe.

Well, that was a fine idea. Sunbathing could be refreshing for Firebenders in more ways than one. After such a long day yesterday dealing with Zhao and the Court, he had simply wanted to go to bed. But he was now well-rested, and suffused with the warm energy of his element.

The Fire Lord gathered Katara into his arms, pressing her body against his bulk as he nuzzled her fiercely. She wiggled against him, feeling evidence of his arousal press against her stomach. Zuko smirked down at her faintly, his eyes gleaming fiercely.

"You rise with the moon, I rise with the sun."

o0o0o0o

Waking up in the luxuriantly comfortable bed of the Fire Lord was hardly something she could complain about. And said Fire Lord made it even more enjoyable when the morning sun filled him with an abundance of passionate energy. She wondered if the satisfied glow of pleasure was visible on her face to Hana and Lan. If they did notice, they showed no indication of it and went about their requisite tasks.

The Royal Consort reclined happily in a velvet plush chair, its back reclined so she could relax as Lan exfoliated her feet and buffed her toenails. Hana sat nearby with a paper clipped to lacquered wooden board. Since she was Katara's lady-in-waiting, she served as a secretary and personal aide, taking notes when needed.

"Since you've been here longer than I have, what would be a good place to have tea?" Katara asked, her eyes closed as she felt Lan massage her soles.

"There are several places that the Royal Consort or Princesses hold their tea ceremonies. It depends on the size, but for this one, I would recommend the Peony Pavilion. The peonies have started blossoming."

"It seems that every day, I hear about a new place on the Palace grounds." It was nearly impossible to remember all the names. Pavilions, temples, palaces, shrines, gardens all of them with fancy names. Lotus Court, Hall of Blessed Memory, Temple of Harmonious Contemplation, Shrine of Filial Piety, Agni's Fire Pavilion, the list went on. In her tribe, people didn't name buildings. The paths and avenues here in the Palace City even had names, so that it became easier for servants, guards, and Imperial family members alike to know where they were going.

"With so many buildings, they need names or we wouldn't know which pavilion to go to, or what shrine to visit, or which road it's on. This really is a City upon itself. We can make most of the things we need right here." Hana explained. The volcanic ash provided excellent soil for all the gardens, and the heat and pressure also cleaned water, so there was a good supply of water to meet everyone's needs. And what more fitting place for the Fire Lord to call home than a volcano, a mighty source of fire and second only to the sun itself? The fact that the Palace could support most of its own needs was an excellent defense in case of a siege, and also provided security to its residents. Not having to rely so heavily on imports of vital items like food strengthened the island.

"It's a little weird to know that the whole volcano city belongs to the Fire Lord." Katara murmured. Every building and plot of land here fulfilled the Fire Lord's needs in some way. Of course, the very same grounds also fed and clothed the staff and guards, so the Royal Family was not the sole beneficiary of this system.

"Such is the might of the Fire Lord." Hana replied, making a notation on her paper about the Peony Pavilion. That needed to be cleaned up and prepared for the Consort and her guest. And she would need to tell Ging Lei to have an appropriate meal prepared and brought out to the Pavilion. And she would need to check with Ze on her brother's doings. Zhao had remained on his ship, but Kougyo and his concubine, along with a few of Zhao's men were staying at the Admiral's seaside estate in the city. That made it much easier to send an message back to Lily. Oh, that was right. Katara still needed to sign and seal the invitation. She would then need to give it to an suitable messenger. Hmm. She would pick one servant and have two guards accompany him, to make sure the letter got to its intended recipient.

"Well then, tea at the Peony Pavilion. It doesn't have to be too formal. I want the atmosphere to be relaxing."

"Very good." Hana made the appropriate notation on her pad. "As soon as Lan's done with your feet, you need to sign and seal the invitation for Lily."

"Mm, that's right. At least ladies get to sit outside while they meet and greet. The Fire Lord and Zhao will be stuck in some stuffy room all day."

"Being a woman is a difficult path in the world of men, but it does have a few perks."

Katara looked at her companion and nodded slowly.

"I'll inform Ging Lei and have the invitation sent out. Oh by the way, the Fire Lord is having a party tonight. There will be a play as well." Hana let out a quiet sigh before tapping the pad with her brush for a moment. "I have received a message from my brother. He wishes to see me while he is here."

The Fire Nation noblewoman did not know of Zhao's relationship with Katara. Only Iroh and Zuko were privy to that information. Katara eyed her calmly. She knew that Hana was Zhao's sister, so it did not surprise her. But...

As if to answer Katara's silent question, Hana shook her head.

"I will tell him nothing. My loyalty is to the Fire Lord."

Katara nodded slowly. "Very well."

o0o0o0o

Lily sat outside in the courtyard. Zhao's house was grand but because it was in Sozun, its courtyard was small. This allowed Lily to have an unobstructed view of the gate as she sat in the garden, playing her harp. She wasn't that good at it, but was was skilled enough to play a simple tune. Kougyo was tone-deaf, so she never received any complaints from him, thank goodness. Trying to perfect her skill on the instrument was a way to keep herself occupied. Since she had become a concubine, she had no friends her age, and was often eye candy on Kougyo's arm. Even though she had been poor before, she missed her old life. Her fingers danced along the strings as she played, but she raised her head when she saw Imperial Guardsmen at the gate with what was obviously an messenger, a kindly-looking old man with a thin white mustache.

Kuang came outside when a soldier fetched him. Kuang was in charge of the small group of soldiers that Zhao had chosen to leave the ship, to accompany Kougyo and to serve as intelligence on the goings-on of the city. She enjoyed being off the ship and knew Kougyo did, but Zhao remained on his vessel. Lily knew why – so he could keep an eye on the Water Tribe prisoners. She silently prayed that Hana had relayed her message and the Imperial Consort took her seriously.

She continued to practice her instrument as Kuang glanced back at her with a faint frown as the messenger held the scroll open in his hand.

"You. Come here." Kuang said. Lily set the harp down and came forward, head bowed modestly as she had been taught.

"You have been invited to the Palace by the Azure Consort."

_Yes_. Lily bit back a smile.

"I cannot allow you on your way without consulting your master." He stood at the edge of the lawn, keeping a distance between her and himself because it was inappropriate for a man to come too close to a concubine that did not belong to him without her master present. Lily felt her stomach tighten. Suppose Kougyo said no?

"Ahem." The messenger had a surprisingly firm voice for his slight frame. "Lily is invited on orders of the Imperial Consort. She has decided, and a man stripped of all rank hardly has the right to go against her decision." The messenger turned toward Lily, and she recognized him – if not by name, then by face. He was one of several royal messengers regularly kept in employ by the Court.

"I would hate to disobey the orders of the Royal Consort." Lily said, hiding the grin that threatened to break out on her face at hearing Kougyo described as with such disdain. And fortunately, she was already dressed properly, having had a real bath this morning within the manor's luxurious guest washroom. Since she was a guest, custom dictated that she be looking proper all times, and even now, she was wearing her white make-up. "It honors me to accept her invitation." She turned to Kuang. "I can trust that you will inform my master of my whereabouts as soon as he is done with his nap."

"Uh..." Kuang swallowed thickly. Zhao hadn't said anything per se about Lily or that she was not to go anywhere. And the messenger did have a point, the old man was hardly in a point to complain if the Consort wanted to hold an audience. "Yes, my lady."

He stood there silently as Lily was helped into a palanquin, plain but comfortable. The drapes were open, so Lily did not have to sit through the short ride in a stuffy compartment. The bearers were quick and efficient, their steps practiced and sure as they walked beside the guards. Lily straightened her robe, eying the gold thread-work in the rose silk. Kougyo liked her to wear pink, a lot. Much of her wardrobe was in varying shades of pink and rose, and she was already sick of the color. It would be nice to wear some black, or perhaps even green. Green was such a nice and soothing color to look at.

The palanquin moved through several avenues and streets within the volcano before it was set down in front of a footpath that wound between several large peony bushes. The flowers were a mixture of gold and deep red, with some hybrids that reflected combinations of both colors. A servant waited at the start of the path, and when Lily climbed out of the litter, the maid led the concubine down the path. The scent of peonies was welcoming and soothing, and Lily took a deep breath. A pavilion with red shingles sat before her, perched next to a pond. Surrounding the pavilion were peonies of several types, planted and trimmed as such to make a pleasing sight, flowers as large as their fists seeming to glow under the sun.

The pavilion was set for a meal, the shade providing a pleasant refuge from the humid afternoon sunshine. The Azure Consort was already seated, gazing off at the pond for several moments. When Lily approached the steps, the other woman turned to her, gazing at her with intense blue eyes. Lily had never seen blue eyes before and was transfixed for a moment. Did Zhao's captives have such eyes?

"Greetings, Honored Consort. Your invitation honors me." Lily said, reciting the proper obeisance for someone her position referring to an Consort.

"Have a seat." the dark-skinned woman said, waving to the cushion at the other side of the table. Lily silently obeyed. At the edges of the pavilion were a few guards, and sitting nearby was a servant. The food spread out had a couple dishes she recognized as hot and spicy, but there was also a good choice of cold foods, such as sliced fruit or cheese and bread.

"Help yourself." the Consort said, sounding relaxed as she put some spicy, glazed chicken bits on top of a small bowl of fluffy white rice. The servant poured tea for them both. Lily was nervous, but her hunger – Kougyo liked his girls petite so kept their meals small – and the tantalizing scent of the food overcame her apprehension. She placed this and that on her plate, tasting everything. The chicken was rather good, and so were the slices of honey-glazed fruit. The Consort seemed a bit older than her, but not much. It seemed like forever since she had spent time with another girl. She glanced across the table at the Water Tribe woman, and was gratified to see that the Consort appeared relaxed, enjoying her lunch.

It was not until both of them were nearly finished with their first servings that Katara ventured to speak.

"You said that you have something important to tell me. Rather than waste time with idle chitchat, I would rather that you simply tell me."

Wow. The Consort was blunt, but at the same time, Lily had to admit she was relieved. While she certainly considered manners important, she felt that small talk before important matters was a pointless courtesy.

"There's so much I want to say." Lily had gleaned quite a few bits of valuable information from listening to Kougyo and Zhao talk. "I barely know where to start."

"It's okay. Take your time. Just pick one thing and go with it." The Consort was pleasant-voiced, her expression kind. This was the person that Zhao and Kougyo considered a barbarian and whore? What Lily was looking at was anything but!

"Well, it started when Kougyo decided to go and see Zhao..."

o0o0o0o

Hana's chin was held high, her shoulders pulled back as she walked down the pathway. Zhao and Kougyo had just arrived, and her brother wanted to speak to her beforehand for a visit. _Visit, my ass_, she thought sourly. She would have to put up with Zhao's attempts to extract information. Already she was thinking of what to say, what responses to make. Perhaps even some false information. It would be sweet to see Zhao make a mistake and falter in front of the Fire Lord. She had not seen her brother for nearly a year, but knew the Admiral well enough to make an educated guess at what he might do.

Some might consider her unfilial for considering such thoughts. After all, her father was dead, so as her brother was now the head of the Zhao family, she had to obey him as she would their father.

But the Admiral no longer had a real hold over her. Thanks to the Fire Lord, she was now emancipated. She earned her own wages and did with it as she pleased, and she enjoyed her job. It was hardly a bad position for a minor noblewoman, and since the Consort was around her age, they understood a lot of the same things. And Hana enjoyed feeling useful, serving a real function rather than being the plaything of a bored, restless, and violent man.

The Imperial Garden was a public place for the Court, but it had plenty of private little areas for people to relax and chat. Elderly noblewomen could sit in the shade on benches or in the soft grass, and the very young children of the highborn could romp about and play in a large, sunny area in one corner of this splendid garden.

People had good reason for coming here if not otherwise occupied with Courtly functions. The Imperial Garden was more of a complex, with different areas suited to the varying needs of its occupants. But Hana was not here to sight-see. There was but one destination in mind, and she found it by going to the rock garden. The vegetation here was sparse, and she felt soft sand and fine gravel under her sandaled feet.

Zhao sat on a bench, wearing a breastplate despite the warm weather. Hana had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. Her brother was no less vain than before. Of course he simply had to dress like this for the Fire Lord, despite his personal dislike of the new ruler.

"Greetings, brother. It is lovely to see you again." Hana said pleasantly, inclining her head in a slight bow. It was the minimal bow that was required from someone of her new position. A flicker of a frown dashed across her brother's face before it quickly disappeared, and she held back a smile.

"Hello. Sit down." Apparently Zhao was so displeased with the briefness of her bow that he was going to forgo pleasantries. Fine. Whatever, Hana wasn't worried. She sat down on the other side of the bench, keeping herself an arm's length away from Zhao.

"I heard about Omashu's plans. Disgraceful to think that they would strike at us after the Fire Lord offered mercy!" Hana said, figuring this was a good way to start off.

"Mercy is for the weak. That is why I came so quickly. I only wish what is best for the Nation." Zhao replied. Hana nodded. She sincerely hoped that it was just a rumor. If Omashu did attack, the Fire Nation would be entitled to strike back, but she hoped that the Earth city had no such designs. _Let there be peace, please. _She had studied history closely during her tenure at the Royal Girl's Academy, since it had been her absolute favorite subject. She used this knowledge to teach Katara Fire Nation history, giving the Consort a brief historical lecture at appropriate times and helping Katara study from the books Iroh had given her.

"Any true Fire Nation citizen would want what is best for the Nation." Hana replied smoothly. Of course, what she thought was best for the Nation differed from what Zhao thought, but there was no need to bring that up just yet.

"Very good." Her brother nodded briefly, looking almost stern. But Hana had always found it hard to take him so seriously because of his huge sideburns. When she was little, she had thought he looked like a monkey. And she still did, though that was a secret she had never divulged.

"You're in a position to help your Nation. The security of our country is especially vital at this time."

"I beg to differ, brother. I am but a lady-in-waiting. I merely serve the Fire Lord."

"How closely do you serve his consort?"

Hana shrugged, feigning indifference. "No more than any other lady-in-waiting, I suppose. It's my job to teach her Fire Nation customs and manners." That was at least part of the truth.

"How difficult that must be." Zhao said with a sneer.

"Not quite as difficult as you might think. The Water Tribes are people, just like us. They have different customs, to be sure, but the Consort was already just as civilized as you and me without knowing all our customs and manners."

"Is that so?" He frowned.

"She is a fair mistress and easy to get along with. I have nothing bad to say about her." Hana's voice was calm and steely.

"You claim to want what is best for the Fire Nation, yet you are willing to serve a Water Tribe woman."

"The Fire Lord made his choice." she replied neutrally.

"Would you consider that a wise choice?"

Hana stared at her brother. "I made a promise to serve the Fire Lord. Zuko is now Fire Lord. It is not my place to comment on the Fire Lord's decisions." She bowed her head slightly, the perfect image of a meek, loyal noblewoman. "Besides, it is not a lady's place to tell stories."

o0o0o0o

Zhao's face was a stern mask as he strode through the hallway to the Council Room. He had been so certain that he could clean some information from his sister. She had always been intimidated by him... at least, before. Today, she had been serene, regarding him as she might a guest or peer, rather than the older brother that customs demanded she obey. He hadn't even brought up the prospect of finding her a new lord because he had been so surprised by her new-found strength.

But things would still go his way. He would invoke the Regency Law, and he had enough supporters in the Council room who would back him. After all, this wasn't about dethroning Zuko – although Zhao had to admit, he would have enjoyed that – but appointing an appropriate regent (or a small group of them) to ensure that the Nation achieved its goals. Sozin's dreams would be illuminated in the final strike against the Earth Kingdoms. The time of the comet was nigh.

As the metalsmiths would say, strike while the iron was hot. The Comet came only once in a lifetime. The young Fire Lord would fight, but the Regency Law had been established for a reason. It really was good for the Fire Nation, but Zhao would also enjoy seeing Zuko rage and fume. The bratling had it coming, after all.

The Admiral strode into the large room, seeing the other men look at him as he made his entrance. Despite the warmth of a summer in the Fire Islands, Zhao wore a breastplate over his robe. He did not like the feel of silk against his skin, it was too slippery for his liking. But he had donned a plain dark formal silk robe that terminated at his knees and black trousers, his leather and brass boots matching his breastplate. The silk did serve one function, to keep him cool, though like many Firebenders, he was able to tolerate heat better. It was the humidity that bothered him, but within this chamber where it was cool and semi-dark, he didn't feel the moisture in the air as much.

Zuko sat in the same spot that Ozai had always used, and it felt a bit strange for Zhao to know that it was the young whelp behind the wall of fire rather than his former lord. He glanced at the figure behind the flames before his eyes moved along the room, taking in the elite group of sages, nobles, and military officers, recognizing all but a few of these faces. His greeting and bow was perfunctory but respectful before he took his seat. Kougyo was absent, but it wasn't surprising that Zuko wouldn't want the old man in here. After all, Kougyo had been stripped of all rank. What purpose could he serve?

But Zhao had already anticipated this. Over two decades of military training and experience gave him an edge over the young Fire Lord. Rather than speaking out right away, the Admiral listened as the other men discussed the 'news' about Omashu.

o0o0o0o

Katara felt her heart thud against her chest when she heard Lily say her father's name. Lily had initially mentioned a group of Water Tribe prisoners, and that had been enough to cause Katara to almost do a double-take. Zhao, with Water Tribe prisoners? Lily earnestly said that she was offering all she knew. From what the young concubine had seen and heard, the Tribe had not been expecting a battle. She had also heard of something that Hakoda had, a piece of paper signed by the Fire Lord. But Zhao did not care if the paper was from Zuko himself.

The young Water Tribe woman knew that she had to act quickly. She needed to locate someone – Iroh, Sylid, Jeong Jeong – and tell them of this. Zuko had suspected that Zhao was up to something, and this only confirmed it. She needed to get Zuko's attention. Her questions became more pointed, asking Lily about this and that. The younger girl was obviously eager to spill it all. It didn't sound contrived or made-up, and how many people would know her father's name was Hakoda? Katara hadn't discussed her past with anyone but a bit with Zuko and Iroh.

So Zhao thought she was an whore? A barbarian witch that had put the Fire Lord in her thrall? It would be almost comical if not for the seriousness of the situation. Now it was clear why Kougyo had come back despite his disgrace.

Katara placed her hands in her lap to hide the slight tremble in them. She wanted to bolt from the table and find Zuko or Iroh. This was urgent. But she could not just abandon Lily. The girl had taken a risk in coming here.

"You have done so much for me, and the Nation. I hate to ask this of you, but I must deliver this news quickly. Would you feel slighted if I left you here for a while?"

Lily considered the question. It was quiet and beautiful here, and there was still plenty of delicious finger foods and gourmet tea to sample. And she would rather be in this soothing place than in Zhao's mansion, with Kougyo demanding her attention most of the time, almost like a child.

"Oh, not at all, my lady." Lily bowed.

o0o0o0o

Every man in the Council Room had something to say about the War. Except the Fire Lord, of course. He had remained silent through the entire meeting, listening as each man contributed his thoughts to the matter. Because of the urgency of Zhao's 'news', there was very little time to investigate the matter fully, giving Zhao an advantage over naysayers or those who wanted to consider the matter carefully. With his experience, the Admiral's opinion was valued in matters such as this. After all, this was the man who had led the great Siege of the North, destroying the city and forcing what little was left of the Northern Tribe to its knees. He was also responsible for the state that the Southern Tribe was currently in. Since Water was Fire's antagonistic counterpart, having this as part of his record added to his esteem. Even his opponents recognized that.

The Admiral sat, waiting for the Fire Lord to speak. The room was silent. Iroh betrayed no emotion on his calm face. Some of the other men were gazing at Zuko's silhouette while a few glanced over at Zhao.

"I agree that anything concerned with the War is of grave urgency." Zuko said. He had thought long and hard about his course of action. He had listened well to Katara, Iroh, Jeong Jeong, and several others before sitting in this meeting. Even Iroh did not think it unwise to do some investigation first.

"We must make every decision regarding War or the Nation when we have ensured the surety of an option." the Fire Lord continued. There were murmurs of agreement around the table, from both sides of the issue. Zhao stared ahead calmly. The young whelp had seen all the 'evidence' that he created, and if Zuko decided to attack Omashu, then there was hope for him yet.

"There is no reason to not hold our men in readiness. We know that there is still hostility towards us. Just because the War is over does not mean there are not those who don't desire retribution. However, we will _not_ attack Omashu."

_Oh, wonderful_. Zuko had been going along just fine until that last sentence. Of course, they could still try to provoke Omashu, that would not be quite disobeying the Fire Lord. However, the attack needed to be done _now_. The Comet drew closer and closer, and would be visible before long. There was a urgency to this that he had never felt before. There was precious little time left to use Sozin's Comet to forever cement the name of the Fire Nation into history. Omashu and Ba Sing Se would fall, and the Fire Nation would rule the world. The rest of the Earth Kingdoms, scattered across the Continent from small villages to bustling cities, would then have to bow to the Fire Nation.

"I thank you for granting me audience. Everyone here knows how passionate I am about Fire Nation. I have only the best interest for our country, and normally it is a joy. However, it is with sadness that I must invoke the Regency Law." His tone was all seriousness, and several members of the Council stared at him. But a good amount of them did not look surprised, and merely stared at Zhao for a moment before turning their attention to the shadow behind the wall of flame.

The Fire Lord had known that Zhao was up to something, but _this?_ He dug his fingers into his lap, bunching the silk in his fists. He was Fire Lord by his own right, having defeated his sire in an Agni Kai. Nobody could refute this when so many people had been there to witness it.

"We understand that as Fire Lord, you want what is best for your country. But you are young yet, and exile has kept you away from daily updates and information about the War."

"My exile has made many things clear for me. I have learned things that you will never comprehend." The Fire Lord's tone was steely as he rose from his seat. "I do not make my decisions without serious consideration. I have explained to these men what our goals now are. Since you have been away for months, I can forgive you wanting to continue the War. But this is treason."

"How is it so? Sozin was a great Fire Lord, and we are so close to achieving his goal." This was said by Lao Taam, current patriarch of the clan and Iyashii's grandfather. "There is still time yet to mobilize our forces and use the Comet's power for our final strike."

"Thank you, Lao." Zhao said. Lao would be an excellent member for the regency. With a stubborn Fire Lord that was nearly a man rather than a malleable young child, several men would be needed to hold the regency until Zuko gained his good senses. Lao was one candidate. Kougyo was another. And if needed, Zhao would be a regent too. It would cement his power, and the regency did need a military arm. That would form an effective triumvirate. Doubtless Iroh would insist on being part of the regency, but Zhao and the others could muscle him out.

"The Fire Nation would be lost without your wisdom and experience." Lao replied smoothly, stroking his beard.

"I will have none of this! I defeated my sire in an Agni Kai. I have taken the crown rightfully, by my own hand, as ordained by Agni himself." The flame wall in front of Zuko glowed brighter. "I am Agni incarnate. I hold the Mandate of heaven."

"No one is talking about taking the throne away from you, my lord." another elderly man said as he stood up. This was Kangxi, head of the Niuhuru clan, another old noble house with a bloodline almost as privileged as Taam. Like Zhao, Kougyo, and Lao, he wanted the War to continue and thought that the son of Ozai was out of his mind for going against Sozin's legacy. "But you are yet inexperienced. Ozai's death was so... sudden."

There were a few nods and murmurs from supporters of Zhao. Zuko paid close attention to them, noting their names, as well as those who supported the Fire Lord and wanted peace. He kept track of all of them and paid attention to their behavior at meetings and functions, attentive to changes or contradictions. Some of them nobles and generals had been steady supporters, others were against him from the start, and yet others sat on the proverbial fence, simply going along with him so they would not be demoted or worse. Personally, he wasn't surprised that there would be supporters for Zhao, but that they would dare presume to invoke the Regency Law... there were no grounds for it! He was seventeen, practically a man! And he had defeated his sire in An Agni Kai, proper.

He glanced around the room, seeing all of his men through the flame. He knew he could count on some of them without a doubt, but others he could not be absolutely certain about.

"Rather than worry about the affairs of state, you can spend a couple of years taking lessons and having your regents mentor you. The exile has been hard on you, we can see that -" Zhao said.

"Shut up. I will hear none of this. This is treason."

"My lord, I have only the best interests of the Fire Nation -"

"I said, shut up!" The fire wall disappeared, leaving a livid-looking Fire Lord in its wake. "Three years ago, I did what I thought was best for the Nation. It earned me this." He pointed to his mark. "But it was a trial by fire in more ways than one. My exile has changed me, to be sure. It has changed me for the better. Do not presume to tell me you have best interests at heart..." Zuko growled. There was no doubt in his mind that Zhao took personal pleasure in this.

"I mean no disrespect..." The Fire Lord and Zhao both knew this was a blatant lie, but the Admiral continued, "You are only seventeen. Such a young person should not have to deal with so many stresses. That is what age and wisdom is for. I do not mean that you are an incapable Fire Lord, but I and others are concerned that you are not quite ready."

"I am quite ready. I defeated my sire in an Agni Kai."

"And we do not contest that you have won the crown rightfully." Lao Taam said, rising to his feet. "But a crown can be so heavy on such a young head. Remember, the Court serves the Fire Lord. We are here to help you."

"Don't you presume to tell me that you are helping. I did not tolerate this from Kougyo, and I most certainly will not tolerate it from any of you!"

"My lord, we only serve your best interests." another man said.

"The Regency Law was established to oversee the welfare of a child ruler. I doubt that Fire Lord Zhen foresaw this particular situation when he penned it." Iroh said, stepping in before the chorus against the Fire Lord's fitness to rule became overwhelming. Zhen had created the law because his own father died of an heart attack when he was only four, and Zhen had grown up seeing his uncles fight for the throne, and his mother trying to stand up to them, so that Zhen would inherit the throne proper. It had been a long fight, but eventually the long-struggling Fire Lord overcame his uncles. And his mother had been promoted to Grand Honored Dowager Fire Lady, a title he had created just for her. "As all of you know, I was raised to become Fire Lord. I have been mentoring my nephew and feel that he is competent. Others will attest to that. Rather than declaring a regency now, let us all sleep on this for a night.

"We still need to make a decision about Omashu." Zhao protested.

"We'll decide that tomorrow." the Dragon of the West replied, his tone calm and firm. He knew Zuko wanted to throttle Zhao and his supporters, but he needed time to calm down and think things through. Zuko's supporters had wisely remained silent through Zhao's efforts to usurp the throne's power. Of course, that Iroh had subtly signaled for silence didn't hurt their side.

"Tomorrow." Zhao repeated stonily. Of course, he certainly didn't expect to establish a regency tonight and continue the War, but he was still annoyed. Oh well. There was tomorrow. That was time enough to consolidate his support base and make sure he had enough members within his coalition to ensure success.

o0o0o0o

Katara's heart was pounding as she darted through the many paths and corridors of the buildings and grounds. Why did this place have to be so damned huge? She needed to find someone important, and knew that they were all in that meeting with Zhao. And as a woman, she did not belong within the world of Fire Nation politics. There might be a few female soldiers, but all the positions of power belonged to the men. There was no way she could just barge into the Council room. She had certainly considered it, but what exactly would she say? The men would just dismiss her, and Zhao would deny that he had prisoners. He might even kill them, to dispose of the evidence.

The silk of her robe fluttered from her body gracefully as she raced towards an unknown destination. She had to find someone! What was Zhao saying to Zuko in there?

She paused in the large hallway that led to what she called the 'Men's Wing', the part of the Palace that held the Council and War Rooms, two areas – among others within this wing – that was considered to belong entirely within the world of men. And male servants were the preferred choice for this wing, as well. Zuko had never forbidden her to come here per se, but they had a tacit understanding regarding his affairs as Fire Lord. Dare she cross that invisible line into men's territory? Could she wait a hour, or two, or however long the meeting took?

She could command servants, and even guards, to a certain degree. And she never demanded much. But could she ask one of the guards to go to Zhao's ship and check to verify Lily's story? Could she send men out of the Palace City to rescue her Tribesmen?

She turned around, deciding to go back to Lily. She had thought of a few more questions to ask, and as hostess it would be rude to leave the girl for too long. And she didn't want to be the subject of talk within the Court for daring to intrude in a Council meeting a place where women never set foot? She did not want to inadvertently embarrass Zuko or cause him to lose face, especially in front of Zhao!

Stupid Court rules. In the Water Tribe, she wouldn't have to deal with this crap. Stupid Zhao and stupid Kougyo.

As if the spirits had answered her mental diatribe against the Admiral, she heard a door slamming open somewhere in the wing. From the sounds of it, it was a rather heavy door. Quickly, she moved to the wall, as if she was admiring a painting, and there certainly were a few lovely ones up here.

She heard heavy footsteps matching down the hall – several sets, actually. She kept her eyes on the wall, but kept the entrance to the wing in the corner of her eye. It didn't sound like Zuko's footsteps.

She felt her stomach clench into a tight knot as Zhao emerged, grim-faced as he walked at the head of a small party. She recognized Iyashii's father and grandfather, and a few other men she remembered Zuko complaining about due to their stubbornness in wanting to continue the War, or the Fire Lord's attempts to foster peaceful alliances with the Earth Kingdoms and Water Tribes.

Zhao did not slow his step when he noticed her, though inside he could not help but think of her distastefully as she stood there. Stupid Water Tribe whore. Soon enough the witch would be stripped of her rank and privileges and punished for daring to influence the Fire Lord. Her neck looked so delicate, he knew he could easily snap it in his hands if he wanted to. But right now, all he could do was pass by, ignoring her.

Katara could feel his gaze on her even as he strode by. Bastard. She felt anger bubbling within. This man had murdered her mother, and killed who knows how many Water Tribe members. She lost her focus on the painting, no longer seeing the trees and mountains artfully represented with watercolor on silk. She wanted to just forget all of these fancy Court rules and attack Zhao and just pound him. Or see him go up in flames much as the former Fire Lord had done. A flush rose in her cheeks as she felt her heart pound within her chest, and she suddenly felt light-headed. This small distraction helped her to remain where she was, seeming to take no notice of the Admiral or his cronies.

Suddenly, a different set of footsteps met her ears. She collected herself, turning around slowly to see Kamas and Jeong Jeong. She could tell them! The presence of these two men helped her to set aside the immediate burn of rage. There were more important things to worry about. She approached them, inclining her head in a slight bow, in the way of a highborn woman respectfully acknowledging a important man. She might be Royal Consort, but these men were part of Zuko's Council, and while they might not be her Lord or master, their position and proximity demanded respect. Not that she minded, she liked both of them and if a bow of the head signified respect, so be it.

She fixed her gaze on Jeong Jeong, figuring that he might be the better one to talk to, given his age. As she bowed her head to them, they bowed back. Even now, it still felt a bit weird to have high-ranking Fire Nation men bowing to _her_. She certainly had never imagined this when she was little!

"I need to talk with you. It's rather urgent." she whispered. The white-haired Firebender glanced at her.

"What is it, my lady?"

"I hesitate to say it out loud here." Even though Zhao was gone around a corner, she was still wary. "But it is urgent. The Fire Lord..." She hoped she didn't sound too hysterical.

Katara saw the pair exchange glances. What did this mean? What was going on?

"Might it have anything to do with Zhao or Kougyo?" Jeong Jeong asked in a low whisper. She nodded, and the men glanced at one another again.

"I mean no disrespect, my lady, but we have urgent matters of our own." he started to say, and Katara felt her heart sink in disappointment. "But Kamas will stay with you, and you can tell him everything you want to say. I will talk with you later."

"What's going on?" she whispered. The men were silent for a moment before Kamas spoke.

"She has news regarding Zhao and Kougyo. This might have something with what Zhao just did..."

"Indeed..." Jeong Jeong stroked his chin.

"What did he do?"

"Can we trust you to not say anything about it?" Kamas asked.

"Of course! You have my word."

"Zhao has invoked the Regency Law." Before Katara could ask what that was, he continued, "He has basically said that Zuko is too young to rule on his own. He wishes to continue the War and stick with Ozai's original plan."

The blue-eyed girl stared at both of them for a moment.

"You see why I must be going. But Kamas will listen to you and act appropriately." The older Firebender bowed to her again before disappearing down the hall. She looked up at Kamas, seeing him stare back at her kindly. Suddenly, a new idea formed in her head.

"I think it's best that you come with me so we can talk." Katara said. She would take him to the Peony Pavilion. He was a good judge of character from what she had seen, and he could judge Lily.

"But of course. You have only to lead."

o0o0o0o

Lily felt shy under the gaze of this handsome officer. He had small, neatly-trimmed sideburns, and his hair was a dark brown, making her think of chocolate. His eyes were a curious hazel mixture, green and light brown mixed with a touch of copper. She figured him to be in his late twenties, and he had nice, broad shoulders. There was just something about broad shoulders that she could not help but like.

"Lily, this is Si Seung Kamas, an adviser and military officer of the Fire Lord's council. I have told him about what you said, and he wishes to speak with you." The two women sat across from one another at the table while Kamas took the side opposite the steps to the pavilion.

Katara fell silent as Kamas started questioning the young concubine. The man's questions were pointed, regarding matters of Zhao's ship and crew. How many soldiers or servants? How many people altogether? How long ago had the Tribesmen been captured, and how many of them were there? What kind of things did Zhao say? And so on and so forth. He asked questions that she herself hadn't considered, given his military experience. Lily answered to the best of her abilities, telling him what she remembered of the details of the ship and crew. Kamas was very to the point and focused on the situation, even ignoring the cup of tea that Lan poured for him.

Finally, Kamas rose from his seat. He had gathered all the information he could from Lily, and the situation was serious indeed. He had never liked Zhao and had the misfortune to serve under him briefly, when he had just joined the army. Zhao might be a competent soldier and effective leader, but he was also arrogant and ruthless. He bowed his head to Lily.

"You have rendered a great service unto the Fire Nation. A great debt is owed to you. This is why I hesitate to ask one thing of you."

"What is it?" Lily asked.

"I hesitate to ask you to go back to Kougyo, but he must not suspect anything is amiss. Would it be asking too much for you to go back to him for a few more nights? Of course, after that, your contract with Kougyo can be annulled."

"What will happen to my family?"

"Like I said, a great debt is owed to you. You will be able to collect it in a short time. Zhao and Kougyo cannot suspect this..."

"But of course."

"When Kougyo asks you what you have been doing here, I am sure you can think of something to tell him."

"I'll just tell him we had tea and listened to music and talked of womanly matters. He bores easily when these matters are brought up."

"That's what I thought." Kamas gave her a small but friendly smile, and she blushed faintly under her makeup.

"I must get this news to the others and effect a plan to extract these men from Zhao's hold. If you will excuse me, my lady..." he said as he inclined his head towards the Royal Consort.

"You may go." Katara inclined her head, grateful that not everyone in Court was her enemy.

o0o0o0o

What did the old man want with him, Zhao fumed as he walked down the hallway. He had just been in a small meeting with his supporters, using one of the alcoves on the first floor used for private meetings by courtiers. The sunlight hit him full in the face as he stepped out from under the veranda, and he scowled at the flowers surrounding him. He didn't care for flowers and had no use for such ephemeral, fragile things. As far as he was concerned, it was a womanly pursuit to garden or arrange flowers, or whatever the hell else they did with them. Put them in their hair, pin them to their robes, he couldn't care less.

He ignored the display of flora along the path, feeling the urge to kick the wizened old man he saw tending the flowers. The Dragon Court was just ahead. It was a private courtyard just next to the library and used for small private parties or meetings. He had attended a few private banquets here held by the former Fire Lord. These were fond memories, indeed. The drinking, the women, the mutual mocking and jokes about the other nations. In summer, fireflies would buzz around, their glowing lights adding a bit of ambiance to the Dragon Court.

The courtyard was lined with dragon-heart bushes. The modestly-sized bushes held dragon-heart blooms during its flowering stage. The petals formed a heart shape, very much different from the usual outward petal design to be found in other flowers, and the deep red hue and faint, spicy scent made them possibly the only flower on the Admiral's 'acceptable' list. The guards stood silently as he entered the open space. The clearing had its own small building where a banquet could be held indoors, but he could see that the meeting was to be outside, where a table set with tea waited for him. The Dragon of the West sat at the opposite side of the table, looking calm as he regarded the younger Firebender.

"Have a seat." Iroh said, extending his arm and beckoning. Zhao held back a frown as he stepped forward, alert to everything around him. The dragon statues that sat in the corners of the yard seemed to be leering at him.

He sat down, but he remained tense. The Dragon of the West had summoned him for a reason, and all he wanted here was to know what it was. But he had to be polite and humor the old man, so he took a sip from the teacup before him. His greeting was perfunctory, and he sat there, waiting for Iroh to speak. The old man took a maddeningly leisurely pace, taking a few sips from his own cup, and Zhao had to make a conscious effort to not grind his teeth out of impatience. _Out with it, already. This is why your brother was Fire Lord._

"Your service to the Army has been long and admirable. Many have benefited from your experience, but this is not such a case. There is no need to invoke the Regency Law."

"With all due respect, I beg to differ. The War has been going on for an hundred years. We are so close to the end. Sozin's Comet will grace the sky at the end of summer, and that time is nigh. Is Sozin's effort to come to naught? What about all the work your own father has done?" Zhao hadn't served Azulon as closely as he had served Ozai, but the old man had impressed him with his quiet dignity and firmness.

"During Sozin's rule, the Earth Kingdoms threatened the Fire Nation. But he took steps to make it strong. Now we have staked out half of the Great Continent and our Colonies are strong and well-established. The Earth Kingdoms are no longer in a position to overwhelm us. That should be a victory into itself. My nephew has wisely decided to stop the War before the consequences became irreversible."

"Consequences? Irreversible?" Zhao asked incredulously.

"It was never intended for one element to dominate the world. It's about the balance of the elements. With only one element, the world cannot be harmonious. The Fire Nation is strong, and has proven its own strength. Nothing more needs to be done."

_Nothing more needs to be done?_ Was Iroh fucking serious? Was this the beginning of the senility that came with old age? Had he gone soft, like his bratty nephew? True, he hadn't always agreed with Iroh on everything and still had some respect for him after the failure at Ba Sing Se, but this honestly was too much.

"Then we have different goals." the Admiral finally replied. "I have the best interests of the Fire Nation at heart, and I will continue to work towards these interests. You speak of balance, but the Earth Kingdoms will just keep trying to fight us."

"Not if they see we are serious about peace."

_Damnit, Iroh._ Zhao had to resist the urge to do a facepalm. He had known that the old Firebender would be one of his biggest opponents – at least, if Zhao didn't convince him to change sides. Now, that didn't appear to be possible. There seemed to be no point in wasting his time at the Dragon Court any further, then.

He rose to his feet, not bothering to finish his tea as he glanced down at Iroh. There were a few choice insults he could use against this old fool, but he bit his tongue. He had to maintain a modicum of respect towards everyone, even the stupid Water-witch, at least until the right time.

"I regret that we cannot see eye-to-eye on this important matter. I am sure that Agni will shine his light upon us and show us what is best for the Fire Nation."

o0o0o0o

Katara slowly approached the window, tilting her face towards the light of the setting sun. She was in the library, reading up on the story of Fire Lord Zhen. During her walk with Kamas, she had taken the opportunity to ask him a few questions about the Regency Law and other matters. The story of Zhen was interesting, and she closed the book, seeing the sunlight shine off the gold-tipped corners of the cover.

Her Tribe had stories of its leaders, and a brief record – names and dates carved on ivory. But this library was incredible. There were so many books, though she found much of it dry – records, compendiums, and the like. But there were many good stories and biographies to be found here. She could not help but wonder if her tribe would benefit from a sort of library system. The people of her tribe did learn how to read or write, but fine literature and calligraphy wasn't a part of their lives. There were more important things to worry about, but with the War over and Zuko sending supplies to her people, they should have more stability and prosperity in time. She could see how much literature and records benefited the Fire Nation. Why shouldn't her own people benefit from this as well?

This idea entrenched itself firmly in her head, and she made mental note of it. She could even talk to Dad and...

Remembering her father brought her back to the reality of the current situation. They were Zhao's prisoners, and she prayed that whatever Kamas was doing, nobody would be hurt. _Spirits preserve them._

Having finished reading about Fire Lord Zhen, she walked along the shelves to return the book to its original place, where it sat amongst a series of books that contained the biographies and list of laws and decrees passed by former Fire Lords. After she did so, she passed the windows again, enjoying the view of outside. Everything looked so bright and colorful, though she sometimes wished she could see more colors like blue or white instead of the usual red and gold she saw in the flowers and buildings.

She stilled when she saw Iroh and Zhao a couple of stories below her, sitting in a courtyard fenced in with dragon-heart bushes and dragon statues. From her vantage point, she could see both men in profile. Zhao did not look happy, and almost appeared as if he would throw his teacup at Iroh. Suddenly, he rose to his feet.

_He's upset with Iroh. I wonder why_. Doubtless it had something to do with the Regency Law. Yeah, that would be it. Iroh would try to talk Zhao out of this stunt. _You can count on him to think rationally_, Katara told herself. Zuko was lucky to have him on his side.

And from Zhao's actions, it was all too clear that he disagreed with the elder. That didn't surprise her. The more she looked at his profile, the more she found herself wanting to hurt him. She knew she shouldn't take pleasure in someone else's pain, but this man had done so much evil. She stared at him, wondering how he would react if she were to grab his sideburns and twist them viciously. She remembered the Death Dragon's execution, and wondered if that was a fate for Zhao. She remembered what Lily had told her, the names he called her. But she heard the insults in his voice. _Whore. Water-witch. Barbarian._ Disgusting, loathsome man...

Her hands clenched into fists, and her eyes narrowed as she regarded her adversary. The rage bubbled up from deep within as she thought about the previous Fire Lord, and Iyashii, and all the others who looked down upon her just because of her heritage. She felt her heart pounding within her chest as she focused on Zhao. If she were a Firebender, she might have burned a hole in his head from the intensity of her glare.

As she did, she felt the flow of blood within Zhao's body. It was hot and pulsing as it coursed through him, an indication of his anger and irritation with Iroh.

_Wait._ It wasn't the blood she was feeling. It was the water within. Her fingers curled into claws as her breath hitched in her throat. She could feel her nerves tingling as she realized what she was sensing.

He rose from the table, a frown on his face as he looked at the other man. He didn't even offer a perfunctory bow to Iroh before he turned around to leave.

The Admiral made only a couple of steps before he suddenly convulsed, feeling as if something had taken control of his body, an invisible hand shaking him violently and leaving him breathless. It seemed like an eternity, but it actually lasted only a few seconds. Just as quickly as it had taken hold of him, the unseen force let go, causing the man to drop to his knees. He was disoriented, and was unable to breathe in for a second. He found Iroh at his side, hands on his arm. Fortunately, Iroh didn't ask him if he was all right, that was such an inane question.

Zhao stared ahead for a moment as he collected himself. He felt a bit sore, but there was no pain. Nothing felt dislocated or ruptured. Did he have some kind of seizure? Did it really feel like _that?_

"How many fingers am I holding up?" Iroh asked, holding up his hand.

"Three." Zhao blinked a couple of times. His vision had been a bit blurry since the seizure had caused his eyes to water up a bit, but thankfully, his vision remained normal. As he felt Iroh's grip on his arm, he started to pull away. He prayed to Agni that Iroh wouldn't blab about this to anyone else. Was this seizure a one-time thing, a overflow of his anger and stress, or did it signify the start of one of these mysterious wasting disorders that took years to kill a person?

"I'll take you to Sylid."

"You'll do no such thing!" Zhao growled as he rose to his feet. His knees felt a bit weak, but he was able to accomplish this task with relative ease as he took a deep breath. Ah. He felt better already.

"It was just a bit of heatstroke." the Admiral said quickly, dismissing the issue as he ignored Iroh's inquisitive glance.

"I've never known heat to cause a seizure." the other man man responded. Zhao had to fight back the urge to lash out with a fireball. The old man was known for his tact, couldn't he display some now? Though Zhao had collected himself and was sure that all of his facilities were in working order, he still felt a bit disoriented from the seizure. He would go to his house and rest there for a bit and have some supper before heading back to his ship.

"There's a first time for everything, and it was nothing. I am fine." he replied curtly. Before Iroh could reply, Zhao cut him off. "I have made my decision regarding the Fire Nation. The Council will meet tomorrow morning, just as planned. At least some of us haven't gone... weak. Good night." Disdain was clear in the Admiral's face before he whipped around and departed the Dragon Court.

o0o0o0o

Katara watched as Zhao left in a huff. She hadn't even done that to him consciously. She had just been so angry, and wanted to give him a good shake. And even though she was a bit light-headed, she felt good. It had been satisfying to see him stiffen and then shake like that. It had never occurred to her that she could Bend blood. Sure, she could bend soup and perfume, even sweat. There was no reason she shouldn't be able to manipulate other fluids, but she had never imagined Bending inside of someone's body.

The revelation stunned her. As a Waterbender, she had made sure to always try to have a water-bag with her so she would always have something to Bend with. But if she could manipulate the water in someone else's body... the ramifications and possibilities were enormous. She had thought that the discovery of her healing abilities would be the last surprise when it came to her Bending. Apparently not.

She slowly turned from the window, walking across the soft red carpet. There was so much to think about.

As she sat down for her supper, Hana leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"Kamas says that he has formulated a plan and it is being executed now." Her tone held a bit of curiosity – what was this plan? But Katara simply nodded. Ozai would be spinning in his grave if he knew of his son's concubine now being Royal Consort and having a hand in Imperial affairs, especially against the Admiral. She smirked to herself faintly before she started eating.


	33. Karma's A Bitch

**Hot Water**

Chapter XXXII – Karma's A Bitch

o0o0o0o

Sokka had come to recognize when it was night or day in a ship during his captivity. At night, without the sun beating down on the metal of the vessel, the air that came through the vents was a bit cooler, though it didn't make _that_ much difference as the brig was still stuffy. He could not use meal-time as an indicator because he and the other Water Tribe men only got food once a day, and the guards were ordered to not speak to them. Only Zhao spoke to them, and it was to deride them. It was useless to bring up the signed decree that they had received, and he was certain that the loathsome man had already destroyed it.

He didn't want to believe it, but he would have actually been happy to be Zuko's prisoner again just to get out of here. It almost seemed as if he had been down here forever.

Sokka let out his breath in a slow exhale before looking across the small cell that he shared with three of his Tribesmen. Both of them were dozing, albeit fitfully. A true, peaceful sleep was impossible in this atmosphere, with the stuffy air and hard metal walls and floors. They didn't even have any pillows or anything that would give them the least bit of comfort, not that Sokka would expect any sort of kindness from Zhao.

Was it to end with Zhao and the Fire Nation? Would his Tribe face execution, lifetime imprisonment, or slavery? He wasn't sure which one was the worst. What would become of the women and children back home? Would the people left behind see their fathers, husbands, and brothers ever again? Doubtless Zhao – or some other Firebender – would lead a raid on what was left of the village. He did not relish that thought.

Nor did he relish thinking about his sister and what kind of position she might be in. He would never forget the sadness he saw in her eyes, or the shame when he tried to reassure her that he still loved her. What must she be feeling now? He wished she was here so he could hug her. It rankled him that he could not do a single damned thing to help her...

Suddenly, a loud, metallic bang met his ears. He jerked slightly and lifted his head. After a moment, he lowered his head again. He ignored the sound of footsteps, figuring it to be another guard. He did not look up when the man moved past the cells and returned the way he came. To his surprise, he heard loud arguing. The walls muffled it, but he was able to catch a few words and phrases. _The Fire Lord, prisoners, not allowed, who do you think you are..._

Another bang – the door to the brig slamming open – preceded a set of firm footsteps. This was followed by several more pairs. Sokka swallowed. He knew that the ship was no longer moving – it had stopped the day before – and they were now in the heart of the Fire Nation. Instinctively, he drew back from the bars when a soldier stopped in front of the cell. The man approached the door, and the Water Tribe youth heard a click before the door opened.

"On your feet. Come on. There's no time to waste." the man said. Before anyone could respond, the man moved to the next cell, unlocking the door. Sokka placed his hand on one of the bars and used it to hoist himself up. As he emerged from the small space for the first time in days, he saw a couple of other men at the bottom of the stairs. One was obviously a man of authority, tall and broad-shouldered with neatly-trimmed sideburns of very modest size. It was hard to tell under the limited light, but Sokka guessed he was probably around thirty.

One by one, the rest of the Water Warriors emerged from their respective cells. As soon as he saw his father, Sokka instinctively went to him, barely conscious of his feet pulling him into that direction.

"Are there any more men?" the tall Fire Nation soldier asked. Sokka paused. Several Water Tribesmen looked at the soldier with slight confusion on their features. Why was he asking? He should know how many men there were, unless...

Hakoda quickly glanced around at the now-crowded corridor, quickly doing a head-count. All present and accounted for. However, he remained silent as he glanced at the soldiers warily. Besides the tall one, there were two more of them, one with the keys. The tall soldier glanced at the crowd, obviously expecting an answer, but the Water Tribesmen stared right back at him, apprehension, caution, and wariness etched in their features along with fatigue.

The soldier cleared his throat before he threw another question at the group before him.

"I need to speak to someone. Which one of you is Hakoda?" Again, silence met his question. Patiently, Kamas looked around at the small throng before him. He counted about thirty men, possibly thirty-five. All of them looked tired and slightly undernourished. Another week down here, and they would begin to feel the effects of scurvy. It was hard to resist the temptation to pinch his nose – a Fire Nation summer was not kind to people trapped in cells made of metal, with only minimal ventilation. Fortunately, he already had things set up for them.

"I understand that you don't trust me, and I can not say that I blame you. But let me assure you that I am no friend of Zhao's." The glances sent his way were still skeptical, but Kamas wouldn't have expected less.

"If you will all follow me, I will take you to a better place where you can eat and rest."

"Where are you taking us? Why should we trust you ?" one of the Water Tribesmen asked. Kamas focused on him and was surprised to see how young he appeared. All of the other men were older, around his own age or more. But this one appeared to be a teenager, around the Fire Lord's age.

"Katara sent me." Kamas replied matter-of-factly. The youth looked surprised, and he was not the only one.

"She is very worried about you." the Firebender said in a kinder tone. The group parted as one man came forward. He was middle-aged and of average height, though broad-shouldered. The other men seemed to defer to him. _This must be Hakoda, then_, Kamas concluded.

"Hakoda?" he asked. The other man hesitated for a moment before nodding slowly.

"I would like to talk with you, but not right now. We need to get out of here. If you would follow me..."

The cool night air hit their faces in a welcoming rush, and Kamas could hear a collective intake of breath and sighs of relief as the men blinked, looking up at the starry night sky and orienting themselves to the fresh air and open space. But there was no time to waste. He looked at the rest of his men, standing guard and keeping Zhao's own men at bay. The Admiral was not here, having meetings somewhere in Sozun with Kougyo and Zuko's detractors. But the Admiral would be finding out soon enough that the Water Tribe was no longer in his custody.

Kamas was well aware of Zhao's attitude towards the Earth Kingdoms and Water Tribes. And towards men of mixed blood, such as himself. Kamas allowed himself a grim smile. He would love to see the look on Zhao's face when he realized that he no longer had any prisoners.

o0o0o0o

It took every fiber of self-control within to not rush toward the table in front of him, set with a generous amount of delicious-looking – and delicious-smelling – food. Sokka's stomach rumbled at the sight of fat loaves of bread sitting next to containers of butter and jelly, bowls of fruit, platters of vegetables, and slices of meat. Jugs contained juice, water, and cold milk, waiting to be downed by the group of ravenous Tribesmen.

Kamas gestured to the table, seeing the apprehension on the faces of Zhao's former prisoners. He would be taking them to the Palace, of course, but for now, the men needed to rest and clean up. They were now in one of the barracks within the city that housed and serviced its soldiers. He already had the clearance from the Fire Lord to do as he saw fit, and before he went to Zhao's ship, he had placed orders for things to be set up for the arrival of the Tribesmen. The army cooks whipped together a simple but more than adequate feast, and the Water Tribe men would be eating as well as any soldier did. There was clean military plainclothes – the gray and dark red clothing soldiers wore under their armor – laid out, and the cisterns that fed the showers were full.

"Please help yourselves. There should be enough for all of you, and just through that door is a washroom. There's towels in there, and when you're done, you can put these on." He waved his arm to a stack of the clothing.

"What's going to happen to us?" Hakoda asked, eying the pile of clothing apprehensively.

"We will be going to the Palace in a few hours. You have nothing to fear, I promise you. The Fire Lord has no intent or desire to harm you."

"Will we see Katara?" Sokka could not help but ask.

"But of course. She will be happy to see you."

"If the Fire Lord doesn't want to harm us, then why did Zhao imprison us?"

"Ahh." Kamas nodded slowly. "The Fire Lord is no more fond of Zhao than I am. And by taking you prisoner, Zhao violated Zuko's decree. That scroll you got from the Fire Lord was real, and the decree still is, regardless of Zhao destroying the paper. You are free now, but you do need to stay here for the time being for your own safety. My men will not harm you, and there are cots in the other room for you to rest. Zhao will be dealt in due time." Though Kamas' expression was calm, Hakoda and Sokka did not miss the faint undertone in his voice that indicated that their rescuer would take great pleasure in Zhao's downfall.

He walked over to the table, stopping in front of a large, covered pot – the kind used at banquets – and lifted the lid to reveal a savory-smelling stew with a thick broth. Sitting next to this was a stack of bowls and spoons. He ladled out a portion for himself, taking several bites of it in front of everybody else to assure them that the food was not tainted.

"If there is anything else you need, just let me know. I will be outside." Kamas gestured towards the doorway before he bowed his head and retreated. The door remained open, admitting the cool night air.

"Kamas seems like a nice person. Do you think we should trust him?" Bato murmured as he glanced at Hakoda. The chieftain glanced at the open door, seeing the moonlight faintly illuminated on the packed dirt outside.

"More than Zhao, that's for certain. I think we're safe with him, but all the same, everyone should remain alert. Some of us should stay and eat or rest while some others use the washroom, and then we can switch." Hakoda replied, looking around the large room, his mind alert and calculating.

o0o0o0o

It was several hours past midnight before the Fire Lord was finally able to retire for the night. He had spent the whole evening and night holding emergency meetings, holding private audiences with his Council and the men he knew were his supporters, assessing the situation and plotting against Zhao and Kougyo. It was appalling that Zhao wanted Kougyo to be a member of the Regency along with himself! Dear Agni, having these two men 'babysitting' him and the throne would be a nightmare. He would rather have his face scarred again than live with that prospect.

But one definite conclusion would come out of this. He would strip Lao Taam of his power and prestige in the same way he did Kougyo. Anyone who actively went against him would meet the same fate. And imprisonment to those he felt merited it. And for Zhao and Kougyo, he would ensure a much more severe punishment. He would make an example of them to anyone else who might decide to pull this same sort of shit on him.

Because of the current crisis, regular Court had been suspended. For that, he was thankful, so he could focus his energies on the traitors. But for now, some rest was needed. He stifled a yawn as he approached the doors to his luxurious suite. The guards bowed to him and opened the grand doors. He slid through the portal silently, surrendering to the attentions of Kidoji, his manservant. Usually, he dressed and bathed himself, but it was handy to have someone help him with his Imperial regalia. Kidoji's hands were nimble and graceful, unbuttoning and lifting the lavish robe away from his shoulders and folding it gently after removing the various accessories that came with his Imperial wardrobe – his fire-comb, fan, handkerchief, and various other things usually stored within the sleeves, pockets, or obi of the robe.

The old man handled these things with loving care almost as one might a baby turtle-duck, putting them away in their proper places. The Fire Lord was so tired that had he been left to his own devices, he would simply have dropped all his clothing to the floor and left it there as he wandered sleepily to bed.

Kidoji was quiet and efficient, bringing him some chai jasmine tea and laying out a robe and towel for after his shower. He dismissed the servant for the night before he went into the washroom. Afterward, he was still tired, but felt a bit refreshed. But when he came to the bed, it was empty. He glanced at the expanse of red and white bedding for several moments with a growing frown.

The small door to the consort's apartment was slightly ajar, and Zuko carefully pushed it open, peeking through at the azure-hued room.

Over the last month, as Katara settled into her new life as Royal Consort, Zuko sought to provide every privilege and comfort he could think of to keep her happy here. The furniture in here was all upholstered with indigo-dyed velvet. The scrolls on the walls depicted soothing images of oceans and lakes along with the moon and stars. The new rugs were done in white, black, and varying shades of blue. The design and shape of Fire – seen so often throughout the Palace and grounds – when rendered in these cool colors actually resembled water.

Gifts received many years ago – well before the War started – from the Water Tribes had been pulled out of the Imperial Treasure storage and used to decorate this large chamber as well. A large polar-bear skin decorated the middle of the room, and antique Water Tribe wall-hangings adorned the sides of the room. Ivory and bone carvings – some with blue or black paint or stones to decorate them – sat on the side-tables and hung from the walls. After seeing red all day, being in this room was immensely soothing to his eyes.

And there Katara was, standing by the window, her hair loose and flowing down her back and shoulders to stand out in sharp contrast with the long, sleeveless white nightgown she wore.

"Tara." he whispered, stepping forward and feeling a plush blue area rug under his feet. She turned towards him, her face hidden in shadow. The light was limited because the moon was waning, but he walked across the floor with confidence, reaching out to touch her arms gently. The paleness of her nightgown made her easy to see amidst the darkness. He didn't have to see her face to sense that she was unhappy, and he pulled her into his arms.

"What's the matter?" he murmured, inhaling the faint scent of rubyjasmine in her hair.

"I'm worried."

"Don't be. Zhao is just a greedy and power-hungry man. But the truth will prevail." He paused, remembering the message Kamas had sent from the barracks. That news should make her feel better. "Kamas sent a message a couple of hours ago. Your father and his men are safe. And Sokka is with them."

A quiet sob of relief escaped her throat before she buried her face against his chest. Zuko rubbed her back, resting his chin on the top of her head. The Tribesmen in his custody would offer him some leverage against Zhao. After all, the Admiral had violated an Imperial edict, capturing Hakoda and his men when they had come peacefully, and under his own invitation! Zhao might be lacking in scruples, but there were many in the Court who valued honor and believed in following certain rules of war. What Zhao had done to Hakoda could be seen as yet another act of treason against the Fire Lord.

Even as Katara felt joy at knowing her family was safe, she was also afraid. Ever since Lily had told her about the prisoners, she had prayed for their safety, but also dreaded her confrontation with them. What would her father say about her relationship with Zuko? Would he see it as honorable, or would he see it as an abomination? The Fire Nation had killed his wife, so how would he feel about the Fire Lord having his daughter? Zuko had just said that Sokka was with them, would he have told Dad about her concubinage? She swallowed thickly, wondering what Sokka would say to her or Zuko.

The Waterbender pulled away, feeling a pang of the old shame and guilt she had felt when she was a concubine, a prisoner of the Fire Nation. In a way, she still was. The Fire Lord would never let her go, here she would stay as his consort, and she knew that even Dad or Sokka's displeasure would not change his mind. Oh, if Dad or Sokka were to try to pick a fight with Zuko...

"Katara..." Zuko reached out to grasp her wrist, pulling her back. "What's wrong?"

"I don't wish to talk about it."

Zuko frowned and pulled her to the sofa, sitting down, his grip firm. "What is it that you cannot tell me? You have only to ask, and I will give." He trusted her enough to make such a statement, knowing she would never ask for anything outrageous such as that he hurt himself or his uncle or anything like that.

But the Waterbender simply shook her head. Zuko sighed softly and reclined on the thick cushion that sat at the side of the sofa, pulling Katara down so that she was nestled at his side, her head on his shoulder. He was so tired that he fell asleep mere moments after he settled into the comfortable furniture. Katara didn't fare so well, and despite her fatigue, she was unable to fall asleep as she lay there, her mind racing with all sorts of thoughts.

o0o0o0o

Zhao sat at Lao Taam's table, holding back a yawn as he took another swig of the bitter-tasting black tea. This particular tea was not steeped from leaves, but rather the ground-up form of a black bean that grew on several of the islands within the Fire Nation and nowhere else. It tasted like mud, and no one would have drunk it if not for the fact that the tea produced from this bean provided energy, the caffeine within sometimes causing jitters to those who consumed too much of this drink at once. It was much like hard alcohol – it was an acquired taste. Unfortunately for Zhao, he had none for the bitter-tasting drink, so he had to force himself to take swigs of it. If it could be sweeter, like lighter tea, he could probably enjoy it.

Around the table sat Zhao's most ardent supporters. Like the Fire Lord, Zhao was conducting emergency late-night meetings of his own. A few male servants attended them. All of the women in the house, from Lao's aged mother to his youngest granddaughter, was asleep.

They had been talking of how to best formulate the alliance, who they could threaten or intimidate into voting for Zhao, and the like. Many of the men here represented families that had a lot to gain from the War – such as owning the factories which smelted metal or made the warships and weapons, or those who planned to colonize and govern the remainder of the Earth Kingdoms that would become theirs after the final strike. It was undecided who would become governor of the mighty Ba Sing Se once the Fire Nation took over, but that was a matter for another time. Zuko had been supposed to go to Ba Sing Se, but now he could not be trusted.

So Zhao would lead the strike on Omashu due to his naval expertise and Omashu's proximity to the sea. Three generals – Heit leading the trio – would handle Ba Sing Se. Later, the Water Tribes would be taken care of. It was worth tr to put off that attack so he could deal with Zuko's water-witch now and do as he pleased to his prisoners. Should they be put to death, or made slaves, or captive gladiators? There were so many possibilities. But it all weighed on whether Zhao was successful in establishing a Regency.

It was only an hour before morning that the men had agreed upon a strategy and had discussed it to everybody's satisfaction. Council meetings would start up in a few hours, so everybody needed some rest. Zhao was not a fool and knew he would need a few hours of sleep to stay on his feet, so he had stopped drinking his black tea about half an hour ago as he saw the inevitable conclusion of the deliberations.

Lao's house was about halfway between the Palace City and the harbor, so it was not that long of a distance. The brisk early morning air helped to keep Zhao alert, and he climbed the ramp to his ship without a word. However, he immediately sensed something was wrong. This was confirmed by a grim-faced Yizhu.

Oh _hell_, no.

o0o0o0o

"Lily! Lily!" Kougyo's voice jarred the girl out of her sleep, and she groaned softly as she stirred awake. She had gone to sleep without Kougyo next to her, snoring and drooling because he had been with Zhao at Lao's house. It had been nice to be able to fall asleep peacefully. The large windows had been open to admit the cool night air, so she had the luxury of enjoying a room that wasn't stuffy due to Kougyo wanting to keep the windows closed even on a warm summer night.

Too bad she wouldn't have the morning to herself as well. She pushed herself to a sitting position.

"What is it, master?" she asked as she rubbed her eyes. When she focused on him, she was surprised to see that he actually... looked livid. Usually, if Lily had dome something that irritated him – new concubines inevitably slipped up here and there – he had merely acted annoyed with her, and might rant for a bit as some old people were wont to do. But now...

She gasped softly and blinked as her eyes adjusted to the semidarkness.

"Kuang tells me that you have been to the Palace, that the Azure Consort summoned you. Is this true?"

Lily stiffened, but she had rehearsed her answers all night in her head before she fell asleep.

"Yes, my lord. She did summon me, and I did not wish to rouse her ire or have the Fire Lord be angry with you for not having a obedient concubine, so I had to attend." To her relief, this answer seemed to mollify Kougyo, if only just a bit. Excellent. No one could say that she did not pay attention, and after all, didn't some ancient warrior say to know thy enemy?

"What did she summon you for?"

"To have tea. There were other women there." She didn't mention that the other women were servants, but no need for Kougyo to know that, of course! "And we listened to music and looked at the flowers, and there was poetry..."

"All right, all right." Kougyo had no patience for 'womanly matters' and didn't care to hear about the things they did in the company of their own sex.

"Did she say anything to you? Anything of importance?"

"I'm afraid not, sir. It was all music and poetry. We don't talk about stuffy old things like politics."

Not only was Kougyo dismissive of the interests of women, he was also a misogynist. Some women might be clever, he concluded, but none of them were truly intelligent or wise like men. That was why men controlled the affairs of state, why they were the heads of their families and businesses, why women and concubines along with daughters and sisters were to obey the men that housed and protected them and kept them safe. They could have their silly tea parties and garden ceremonies and whatever the hell they wanted to do, it kept them occupied when they were not being directly useful to their men.

"Very well, then." Kougyo muttered. Lily held back a smile, pleased at how easy it had been to wiggle her way through his narrow-mindedness.

o0o0o0o

Zhao entered the Hall of Supreme Harmony with his chin raised high and shoulders squared back. Despite this... mishap with the Water Tribe prisoners, Zhao was determined to not let it faze him. Prisoners or no, Zuko was still going down. He was confident in his support base. Ozai had never actually named a regent for his son in the unlikely event of his passing, though it had been a given that Iroh would probably adopt Zuko and hold the throne for him. Of course, the Admiral was determined to not let that happen.

The only thing that nagged at him was the location of his prisoners. Kamas had hidden them out of his reach. A man had followed from the ship to the barracks, but by the time he had reported back to the ship, Kamas moved the Water Tribesmen somewhere else. How the hell did that happen? How would Zuko know? He had cautioned his men to not let anyone else on the ship and to be on the lookout for a spy. Damnit.

His bow to the Dragon Throne and its occupant was perfunctory, as was his greeting and obeisance. Off to the side the Royal Consort sat with Iroh, both of them wearing the seven-pointed Imperial comb. Ugh. How dare Zuko rank that Water witch with a Prince of the Fire Nation? Sozin, Azulon, and Ozai must be _spinning_ in their graves. He felt countless eyes on him, but maintained his composure as he rose to his feet and stepped back.

Today would determine the fate of the Fire Nation. The Admiral and the Fire Lord were both aware of it, and would do their damnedest to see that it turned out the way they wanted it. Kougyo and Lao stood in the audience.

"You are wasting your time, Zhao. There is no need for a Regency, and my decision about Omashu stands. Stand down, and I might consider allowing you to remain in your position. This Nation needs people to defend it." Zuko said. Per Uncle's advice, he was giving Zhao an out, though he suspected the older man wouldn't take the offer.

"Defense is not the issue here. Sozin's Comet is nigh, and we can all feel it. A century ago, Sozin resisted the tyranny of the great-great-grandson of Chin the Conqueror. Our nation is strong and prosperous, but it will not remain that way without the balance of the other elements. The Earth Kingdoms and Water Tribes revile the Fire Nation as a country led by a tyrant. Is that not what our ancestors said of Chin the Conqueror and his descendant?"

Of course, just about everyone here knew of Chin the Conqueror, and how he was defeated at the hands of Avatar Kyoshi. But those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it, and so Chin the Second faced defeat and then death at the hands of Fire Lord Sozin after he had tried to bully and extort said Lord.

"I will not be branded a tyrant, not by others or by my own people." The Fire Lord's tone was resolute, and Katara could not help but admire his quiet strength. He wore a robe of black with little gold threading, the overall effect giving Zuko a very serious and stark appearance.

"Strength is not tyranny. The Earth Kingdom cities we captured were much improved when turned into Colony establishments. We are the peak of civilization, is it not our duty to share that with everybody else? With only one nation ruling the world, there would be no more need for war – is that not what you desire after all, my lord?"

"You make a persuasive argument, but my decision stands."

"And who guides your decisions?" he asked, glancing momentarily at the Water Tribe woman bedecked in robes of deep red and black, fire-lilies adorning her hair around the Imperial Flame that sat atop her bun.

"I am the incarnation of Agni." Zuko replied calmly, having anticipated all sorts of arguments from his rival. "My will is Heaven's will."

"Wasn't it Heaven's will that enabled Sozin to harness the power of the Comet?" Zhao replied smoothly.

"Agni intended for Sozin to protect himself and the Fire Nation. Murder and carnage is not Agni's will."

"Death is an inevitable consequence of war. Any seasoned warrior knows that."

"But it can also be avoided, and if there is a opportunity to do so, it is my duty to take it." Zuko replied firmly.

"And just throw away the efforts of your ancestors?" Zhao sounded appalled. He had set this particular tone so it would have an effect on the audience.

"The war has gone on long enough. My decision stands." Zuko was calm and resolute. The Admiral grimaced, seeing the determination in the Fire Lord's eyes.

"Very well then. I was hoping it would not come to this, but I am prepared to do what I must for the Fire Nation. Your father never named a regent for you in the event of his... passing, but it is apparent that one is needed now. You can thank me later."

"Absolutely not." Zuko growled. Zhao had to bite back a smirk at the impatience and rage he saw in the Fire Lord's eyes. By the time the regency was dissolved – this would take a couple of years at least – he would be so well-established that the Fire Lord wouldn't be able to do anything against him. Who knows, Zuko might even change his tune with the Water-witch gone.

"Why don't we let the Court decide?" the Admiral asked, glancing around at the crowd, meeting the eye of several of his supporters.

"I will not stand for this nonsense." Zuko said icily, rising from his seat.

"Those of you who wish to achieve Sozin's dream, make yourselves known. Show the Fire Lord the wisdom of your experience and knowledge." Zhao said loudly, turning around slowly, his arms outstretched.

Several immediately came forward – Lao Taam, Kougyo, and a few others. More joined their number within several moments. In a short time, Zhao stood confidently with a line of courtiers, generals, and nobles behind him.

Katara swallowed thickly, feeling the tension in the air. Spirits preserve them all. She glanced in Iroh's direction, and he nodded slowly, shooting her a quick glance to reassure her. Zuko and Iroh had agreed to let Zhao have his moment in Court. It would make it all the more devastating when the truth was revealed.

"Very well then." Zuko set his jaw in a tight line, meeting Zhao's gaze squarely. Doubtless the Admiral expected him to trot out the Water Tribesmen at this moment, but he had something else in mind. "Guards, arrest this man. He is a traitor to the Fire Nation." Several guards moved forward.

"What?" Zhao gave out an incredulous laugh. "Me?"

"Is it not true that lying to the Fire Lord is a offense that merits death, should the Lord deem fit?" Zuko asked.

"Of course. Everyone knows that. I do not see how that is relevant to this case."

"You don't see? _Really?_ Are you certain of that?" The younger Firebender's tone was cold and measured.

"I serve the Fire Nation and only want what is best for it. I am sorry that we cannot agree upon this matter, but I do hope you will eventually understand and honor your great-grandfather's dream."

"Does this include lying about an attack that will never happen?" Zuko asked with a snarl, taking a step forward. "You lied to me and told me that Omashu was planning to attack us. Your so-called evidence is fabricated, and you sought to use a lie to start the bloodshed all over again!"

"My lord, the Earth Kingdoms..."

"Silence!" Zuko roared, his face contorted with fury. "I was prepared to leave you in your position so you could use your experience to build up a good defense with our Navy and strengthen it. And you chose to foolishly throw it all away for your own selfish means!"

Zhao's heart thudded within his chest, each beat against his ribcage almost seeming as if it would be the last one. But he maintained his composure.

"I only act in the best interest..."

"Shut up. Shut the hell up!" The entire chamber could practically feel the wrath of the Fire Lord roll of him in waves of searing heat.

"You say I have experience. Why not let me show that with an Agni Kai?" Zhao challenged. He had learned from his last confrontation with Zuko, and was confident that he would defeat the brat this time around.

The Fire Lord was tired from a long night and a brief sleep, but he was alert, paying attention to everything his rival said and responding accordingly. However, he could only respond to this particular challenge in one way.

He threw back his head and started laughing. The onlookers stared at him in stunned silence, and the guards that had been about to arrest Zhao looked at their Lord with confusion. Nobody had ever seen Zuko laugh. After only a few moments, the young ruler quickly collected himself, squaring his shoulders as he stared at Zhao, holding back a frantic giggle. The nervous energy from the caffeine in the black tea he had drunken this morning raced through his system, and he clenched and unclenched his fists for a moment.

"I knew that you were going to cause trouble, but I didn't think you'd have the audacity to actually try to challenge me to an Agni Kai! You have no right!"

Katara held back a perplexed frown. From what she understood, anyone had the right to challenge someone else to an Agni Kai, but it had to be serious, and of course, the other person had the right to decline, although nobody said no unless they had a very good reason. However, Iroh understood just perfectly. After his nephew had defeated the then-Commander in the Agni Kai, Zhao had dishonored himself by trying to lash out at Zuko when the younger Firebender had his back turned. Some people might engage in an Agni Kai more than once with the same person, but to disobey the sacred rules of this ages-old rite was to forfeit rights to it.

"You challenged your father, what I am doing is no diff-"

"Aha, I think not." Iroh rose from his seat, a stern and imposing figure in robes of red and black, his shoulders squared and his chin raised, the picture of wisdom and dignity along with quiet strength. "You already challenged my nephew to one, and you lost. Not only that, but you dishonored the sacred rules by lashing out at him when his back was turned, after he showed you mercy by not burning you."

The silence in the room was so thick that Katara was sure she could have stabbed it with a chopstick.

"I would consider your next step carefully, Zhao." Iroh said, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Your lie has been exposed. You dare to challenge my nephew to an Agni Kai when you have lost all rights to do so." Before, Iroh had always treated Zhao more favorably than his nephew did, but now he saw the Admiral in his true colors, and would only offer his nephew's antagonist with the most minimal amount of courtesy.

"The Court still demands a Regent." Zhao said, maintaining an outward appearance of calm. He had never expected the tables to be turned against him like this!

"You are in no position to make any demands for yourself or anyone else." Zuko said coolly. "You are a traitor to the Fire Nation. You would lie to my face and go against one of my Imperial Edicts!"

_Here it comes_... Zhao thought, But his supporters didn't care for the fact that a Water Tribeswoman was Royal Consort, and they would side with him and agree that his decision to hold the Tribesmen as prisoners was a wise one. He hadn't lost, and he was determined to maintain an advantage. If anything, the prisoners – whether or not they were actually in his custody – would help his case. His allies would agree that he was justified in taking them into custody rather than let them roam freely through the Fire Nation with some... permission slip signed by Zuko!

"I did what I had to." Zhao replied, "To protect our country from barbarians that would wander through it freely."

"Even though I passed an edict that guaranteed their safety and freedom? Even though they did nothing to you?"

"Who's they?" someone muttered. Zhao glanced around to see Li and Lo, Azulon's younger twin sisters. He couldn't tell who had asked that question, but as far as he was concerned, the two were practically interchangeable. They were no more fond of the Azure Consort than Zhao, but the Admiral had not seen fit to tell them everything that his plan entailed, so they had not been included in the all-nighter Zhao had with his allies.

"Them!" Kamas' voice rang out through the grand chamber, and through a side entrance said Firebender emerged, followed closely by the entire group of Water Tribesmen. They were clean and didn't look as haggard or exhausted as they had been, and they were all clad in light summer clothing – trousers, sleeveless tunics and the like. Most of them had bits of Water Tribe jewelry – necklaces, armbands, a few beads in their hair, and the like. The attention of the entire Court immediately turned to the newcomers.

o0o0o0o

Hakoda and his men had already been coached by Kamas. The Fire Nation man had told them that no more obeisance would be expected of them than anyone else, and that they need not be too concerned about bring in the Fire Lord's presence. So they had been taught a few phrases, shown the correct way to bow to the Fire Lord, and given some time to relax and accommodate themselves within the quietness and safety of the building Kamas led them, which was a complex used for visiting dignitaries. There they had been served tea while offered a upgraded wardrobe – none of the men had ever seen or felt silk – while waiting for their time to appear in Court. Kamas had remained with them much of this time, casually watching and chatting with them.

Kamas was the antithesis of Zhao. He was respectful, friendly, and spoke to them as if they were his peers and equals rather than barbarians or prisoners. He had nothing but kind words regarding the Fire Lord's companion and again assured them that Katara would be delighted to see them.

Hakoda nearly froze when all eyes turned upon him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zhao. However, remembering Kamas' instruction, he ignored his former captor and approached the dais and bowed politely, reciting a brief but respectful greeting.

"Welcome to the Fire Nation, Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe." As Zuko spoke, the leader of the Tribe glanced at the general area in front of him. Even though he knew his daughter was Royal Consort, it still startled him to see her sitting in fancy robes, her hair bedecked with gold pins and fire-lilies. Her face betrayed no expression, and she sat there with her hands folded neatly in her lap.

He retreated from the dais and joined his Tribesmen, standing in the area that Kamas had instructed even though he wanted to rush to his daughter and take her into his arms. The Firebender stayed close, as if he was trying to protect them.

Zhao felt a vein throbbing in his temple, and it took all of his willpower to not clench his fists. His gaze slid over to the Tribesmen, and Hakoda glared right back, azure eyes fierce with righteous indignation. But he would not give up, and directed his next words at the men who had come to his side.

"The Fire Lord brings one Water Tribe person into the Palace, and now there's a whole pack of them! Before we know it, this Nation will be ruled by the Water Tribe!"

"Shut your stupid mouth!" Sylid growled. Normally, he remained silent unless a question was directed at him, but this was getting ridiculous, and Zhao was just digging himself deeper and looking all more the fool he was rapidly showing himself to be. This was met with a soft ripple of chuckles from the men clustered around the physician.

"There is the proof for you." Zhao said, ignoring Sylid while he bristled inside, "A century of war, tossed aside to satisfy a Water-witch." The most ardent of Zhao's supporters nodded eagerly.

"What did you just call my consort?" The iciness in Zuko's tone made even the most bitter Antarctic clime seem warm and inviting, and the men who had been nodding just a moment earlier stopped, swallowing nervously as they started to inch back.

"You heard me. I said what needed to be said. I cannot stand by idly and allow Sozin's dream to turn to ash."

"You are a traitor to the Fire Nation. You have no say in its affairs. I hereby strip you of all title, rank, and holdings." He gestured to the guards to close in on Zhao.

"No!" Zhao roared. He could... would _not_ allow this to happen! His light brown eyes fixed on the Azure Consort, and before the soldiers could get ahold of him, he sprung forward, channeling the fury within his body through his hands, feeling the heat sear through them as he focused his hatred on the Water-witch.

But he felt himself seize up as he had in front of Iroh the evening before, and the next thing he was aware of was a searing pain passing through his hand and arm as he fell forward.

Silence pervaded the room again for a moment before Zhao heard the dull roar of shouting and murmuring, as if his soul was no longer attached to his body. He tried to get up, feeling his arms and legs twitch as his right hand throbbed with pain. The smell of charred flesh met his nostrils, and he was so stunned that he did not even offer resistance as he felt hands under his arms, hoisting him to his feet.

o0o0o0o

Katara stared ahead, starting to fan herself with the fan she had just retrieved from her obi, pressing her lips together as she watched the former Admiral being dragged out of the room, his right arm a mess of burnt flesh and tatters of silk. She honestly hadn't expected that to happen. She had merely been sensing the water in her body for a few minutes and when the water shifted in his body suddenly – just as he started to lunge forward – she had simply reacted instinctively, grabbing ahold with her 'invisible hand' as she had done before and pushing back. Both times she had done this... bloodbending, it had been almost unconscious, and for that, she was glad.

"You have no self control!" Jeong Jeong blasted out, and Katara turned her head in his direction. His eyes glinted fiercely, and he was scowling openly at Zhao. "Years ago, I warned you that you had no self-control. I have always known it would be your downfall. Agni himself has reprimanded you, learn well from it!"

With the considerable burn that Zhao had inadvertently given himself, it was not hard to believe that this was not Agni's own way of punishing the brash and arrogant man.

"Take him to the Imperial Dungeons. And Kougyo and Lao..." the Fire Lord rattled off a few other names, identifying his most ardent detractors. The guards – having already been stationed in and around the throne room in more than ample numbers and given clear instructions and cues, were prompt to carry out this command. There was some resistance at first, but eventually everybody who Zuko named was taken into custody and led – or dragged – out of the room.

"I should attend to him. I am a physician, after all, and that wound will require a lot of... attention." Sylid said as he bowed his head to the Fire Lord. Zuko nodded briefly and dismissed him, gesturing for Kamas to go along to ensure that the men were properly secured. After several moments of silence, the remnants of the courtiers and generals in the room turned back to Zuko after seeing the last man being led through the grand double doors.

"Let this be a lesson to anyone else who might think to defy me. You are dismissed." He had no desire to see any more of his courtiers today and looked forward to some quiet time after the frantic and nearly sleepless nights of the last two days. No one dared to object, and the courtiers silently filed out after bowing to him.

The Fire Lord sat back with a quiet sigh before he looked over at Hakoda and his men.


	34. Alliance

**Hot Water**

Chapter XXXIII – Alliance

o0o0o0o

Hakoda hadn't been sure what to expect when Kamas led him and his Tribesmen into the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Fire Nation politics was entirely different from the proceedings held within his own tribe. He was surprised at how young Zuko was, even though he already knew the brief version – from Kamas – of the overthrow of Ozai.

"Hakoda, I would like to extend my sincerest apologies on behalf of the Fire Nation. You were never intended to be prisoners, and so long as you stay here, you will be my honored guests. You have my word on that." Zuko said as he looked down at the leader of the Southern Tribe, bowing his head slightly.

"... I accept your apology and hope that we an work toward the same goal of peace." Hakoda replied, using some of Kamas' advice to formulate his response. The courtiers were gone, but some guards remained along with the rest of Zuko's personal Council.

"We should have no problem achieving that goal." the Fire Lord replied calmly before he sat down again. As he did, Hakoda was unable to resist the temptation to look over at his daughter.

"Greetings, Most Honored Consort." It felt strange for Hakoda to refer to his daughter as such, but Kamas had emphasized observing proper manners and protocol. Katara glanced up at the Fire Lord, and Hakoda noticed a barely discernible nod from the scarred youth. Suddenly, Katara rose from her seat and practically flew across the floor, and Hakoda opened his arms just in time for her to go into them. She almost knocked the breath out of him with the force of her hug, but he hugged back just as fiercely.

The Fire Lord was silent as he watched father and daughter hug one another tightly. Hakoda lifted one hand to stroke his daughter's head as she buried her face against his chest. What would his life have been like if his father had loved him like Hakoda so clearly loved his daughter? He was aware of Sokka's veiled glare, but chose to not acknowledge it for now. He glanced over at Uncle, and beckoned Iroh to his side. The old man promptly rose from his seat and quickly approached the side of the throne, leaning in to listen to his nephew's whisper.

"Send a servant to tell the kitchen to go ahead with lunch preparations. I need to convene with my council privately..." he glanced over at Hakoda and Katara, "and Katara needs some time with her family. We'll talk peace agreements and business later. I want to welcome them."

"Excellent idea, my lord." Iroh glanced in the direction his nephew was staring, seeing Hakoda still holding Katara. He understood a father's love all too well, for the son he had lost and the nephew he had adopted as his own. The Fire Lord chose to have lunch by the lake. Katara had recommended it, having found the place during her exploration of the Palace City, and Zuko could not help but agree.

The few men that stayed with Zuko were silent as they watched Hakoda's reunion with his daughters, following their Lord's example. After several moments, the pair pulled apart and faced the Fire Lord.

"I have a lunch arranged for all of us, and it will be ready in a short while. I must excuse myself, for after what has just happened, I have urgent matters to attend to. My consort will show you the way." He rose from his seat, bowed his head respectfully, and disappeared behind the screen. The rest of Zuko's Council left through side doors, leaving Iroh alone with the Water Tribe. Hakoda was slightly startled at Zuko's brief departure and wondered what the Fire Lord really meant by 'short while'. But Katara did not appear too concerned as she turned back to her father.

Up close, Hakoda could really see how well his daughter was dressed and groomed. She had a bit of make-up on her face – a touch of kohl around her eyes and a bit of rouge on her lips – and gold and rubies dangling from her ears. Her hair was pulled back neatly and adorned with gold pins and fire-lilies. Her gown was a finer quality than he had ever imagined to exist, even more so than his own comfortable silk outfit. It was so odd seeing his daughter like this when he had never seen her in anything other color than white and blue.

"Katara..." he whispered. She smiled faintly.

"There's so much I have to ask you." he replied. She nodded.

"Likewise. There's so much to talk about, of course, but..." She paused, seeming unsure of what to say. "I'll take you to the lake and we can talk there." She twisted her fingers together for a moment before quickly folding her hands gracefully, as if it had been something she had rehearsed before. Hakoda was rather perturbed by the idea of his daughter being trained, to have to rehearse movements just to fit in. He noticed Iroh slide up to Katara's other side. She seemed relaxed, and the old Firebender gave her a light nod. They seemed at ease around one another, Katara's father noticed.

"We'll feel better once we're outside." Katara said, as if reading his mind. Hakoda nodded. This chamber was larger than any he had ever seen. How did one get the pillars and walls so high without causing a collapse? He couldn't imagine calling such a place as this home, and despite the vastness of this room, he could not help but feel claustrophobic.

With Iroh and Katara at the lead, the Tribe followed them down the vast hallways before stopping at a set of doors that led outside. Iroh whispered something to her before he bowed to her and the group as he retreated from sight.

When the men had been brought here from the military barracks, it had been in the dark of early morning, and when being taken to the throne room, they had been ushered along quickly by Kamas. But Katara took a leisurely pace, gold sandals adorning her feet as she walked along the manicured pathways. Under the light of the noonday sun, the lavishness of the Palace City was clearly illustrated for the Tribe. Even though summer was nearing an end, the flowers still bloomed in profusion, the verdant foliage providing a stroking contrast to the red-shingled buildings they passed.

There were servants and guards here and there, but the group itself was basically unattended. Hakoda matched his pace with his daughters, walking by her side. Sokka quickly joined them, taking up at her other side.

"Hey, Katara. Good to see you again." Sokka whispered. She glanced at him and nodded, giving him a fleeting smile. He frowned slightly at her seeming lack of enthusiasm, but did not pursue it.

"I thought I would never see you after..." He paused before continuing, "Where's the Avatar?"

"No one knows." Katara shrugged. Hakoda exchanged a glance with his son over Katara's head.

"What do you mean, no one knows...?"

"Zuko let him go before he became Fire Lord. There is no more reward on his head. The Fire Lord is serious about peace. You'll see for yourself."

"You absolutely certain of that?" Sokka asked, recalling all too well the events on the ship.

"Yes. Just take my word for it, okay? You'll see." She stared at Sokka for a moment before looking at her father. "You know I wouldn't lie to you."

"Of course I know you would never lie to me." Hakoda let out a quiet sigh. He started to add something, but bit his tongue. He wanted to ask her about her concubinage, but had the feeling that now was not the time to ask. The rest of the walk was silent. They came to the lake, where several tables had been set up near it. Servants were already at work placing cushions and elegant centerpieces, in their appropriate places. The centerpieces were comprised of flowers, expertly put together by the gardeners. The whole area sat under a white tent, its flaps tied back with red velvet ropes. Just as Katara came to a stop, servants approached from a different direction with cutlery and plates, bowing to the Royal Consort as they went about their jobs.

Taking their cue from Hakoda's daughter, the rest of the Tribe stopped. All of them had known Hakoda for a long time and trusted his leadership and decisions. They knew that when they left the South Pole, it would be a choice fraught with risk, but they could not just stand by and let the Fire Nation continue raiding their Tribe as they had done so often in the past. Hakoda wasn't the only person who lost someone they loved to the Fire Nation. And since the Tribe was so close-knit, the men were like uncles to Sokka and Katara. Within the Tribe, it was believed that everyone had a good example to set for children, not just that child's parents.

Just like Hakoda, the other men of the Tribe were having a hard time processing the sight of the Water Tribeswoman before them bedecked in the attire of a Fire Nation noblewoman. Though Sokka had told only his father about his sister's concubinage, the other men later learned – after receiving the peace message from Zuko – that Katara was deep within Fire Nation.

As the servants bustled about getting the lunch area ready, she took a few steps to take refuge under the shade of a tree. She pulled a fan out of her obi and started to fan herself, closing her eyes to feel the cool breeze on her face. She paused only briefly when she felt a hand on her other arm, and opened her eyes to see her father. Behind him stood Sokka and Bato. Her gaze flicked to Bato's scarred arm for a moment, remembering how it had been bandaged up before. The flesh on his arm very much resembled the thick and slightly crinkled skin of Zuko's scar, only a bit darker due to his natural skin coloring. Back then, if she had been aware of her own healing abilities, she could have eased all of Bato's pain right there. Maybe she still could.

"You've been so quiet." Hakoda murmured. She nodded, offering no argument or excuse.

"Is everything all right?"

"Yes."

"Then what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Katara let her gaze wander to the other men. It was wonderful seeing them again. For over two years her Tribe had been without its men, and it was almost overwhelming to see them all again. Their families would be so happy to see them again!

"You sure?" The concern in his tone was all too evident, and Katara had to hold back a sob as she felt tightness around her throat and heart.

"I'm just... overwhelmed to see all of you again." she replied softly. _Especially after just arriving in the Fire Nation and seeing Fire Lord Ozai and thinking I would never see my family again..._

"Oh." Hakoda smiled at her faintly.

"And of course, I'm happy to see you safe and sound. When I heard that Zhao had you as prisoners..." She sighed and shook her head.

"I felt the same after Sokka told me that you..." He stopped himself, not wishing to inadvertently reveal her shame to the rest of his Tribe. Doubtless all of his men were curious as to how Katara ended up as Royal Consort, but he would do his damnedest to protect his baby girl from embarrassment, especially over something that wasn't even her fault in the first place. His first concern was her welfare, and he was determined to get to the bottom of this matter.

"We'll talk later. In private."

"Yes. Of course." He was all too happy to agree, and squeezed her arm. Just as he was about to ask her a question on a different matter, a commotion from behind them alerted them to the Fire Lord's presence. The servants were greeting him and bowing, and Katara went to him and bowed. The men of the Water Tribe bowed their heads as the Fire Lord and his consort went to the front table. Though everyone had been given comfortable cushions to sit on, the Fire Lord himself had been given a miniature Dragon Throne. This wasn't Zuko's idea – it was royal tradition.

There were three tables, rectangular in dimension and similar in size to one another, all made of polished mahogany. There were more tables like this in storage for banquets and parties, but with this group, only three were needed. One table sat lengthwise to the shore of the lake, with the back of Zuko's throne facing the water. The other two tables sat perpendicular to the first table.

Per tradition, the Fire Lord seated himself first. The only people here other than Katara and her tribe were Zuko and Iroh themselves, the Fire Lord wishing for a smaller and more private meal. His Council had their own important tasks to do. He was well aware of Sokka's subtle glare, but like before, chose to ignore it. If the boy saw that his sister was well off here – in fact, probably better off than any marriage prospect she had within the Tribe – he should change his mind. Of course, offering a generous gift should also sweeten the deal, but that would be discussed later.

Iroh sat at his left, and Katara at his right. Katara gestured to a few men and they came to sit at the front table. Hakoda and Sokka came up as well as a man with a heavily scarred left arm.

Within a few minutes, the servants had the tables lavishly set with all sorts of enticing dishes.

"Please, enjoy yourselves." the Fire Lord said with a welcoming wave of his hand. The men stared at him for a moment before turning their attention to the food. Much of it was unfamiliar to them, this being gourmet fare usually reserved for the Fire Lord and his selected guests.

"You should try the five-flavor soup." Katara said, pointing to a lacquered crockpot at the table she shared with her father and the Fire Lord. The other two tables had similar crockpots. "The ingredients are different, but you'd be surprised at how similar it is to sea-prune stew." She smiled at her father as she ladled some into a bowl and set it in front of him. Hakoda took his spoon and tentatively tasted the stew, noting the differences in the recipe, but Katara was right. The combination of flavors did taste strikingly similar to the end result of stewing sea-prunes with the few herbs that grew in the frigid Southlands.

Many of the dishes were more easily identifiable even though they were prepared more exotically, with all kinds of spices that the men were unfamiliar with. But within a few minutes, Zuko's guests were eating with enthusiasm, trying this and that after seeing Hakoda and his family eat freely. Since the Fire Lord and Lord Iroh shared the dishes, it was safe to assume that the food wasn't poisoned or anything like that.

After about half an hour, the Royal Consort rose from her seat after whispering something into Zuko's ear. She had spent enough time in the Fire Nation to observe the duties of a hostess. Li and Lo had held a lunch party before, and Katara watched how they moved about, talking to the guests, and such. And Hana told her that it was customary for the hostess to do so, to chat with her guests and ensure their pleasure and comfort.

She went around the other tables, pausing beside each man, acknowledging him by name and chatting for a bit before moving on. Most of the men asked her about the goings-on in the village, how their wives and families were. It was good for them to hear the news from a fellow Tribeswoman, and they welcomed her attention, having been away from their women for too long.

As Katara went around, attending to the guests like a good hostess did, Zuko observed her as he ate. She looked happy, a smile on her face as she chatted amicably with the members of her clan.

Hakoda glanced across his daughter's empty seat at the Fire Lord. Zuko slowly turned his head, his golden eyes meeting the Tribesman's own. This was the closest yet that Hakoda had seen Zuko, and at this distance it was impossible to not notice the scar that marred much of this young man's face. He tried to not stare at the scar, and instead focused on the Fire Lord's gaze.

In the eyes of Zhao and other enemies, Hakoda had seen bloodlust, cruelty, and malice. The Fire Lord's eyes were devoid of that. It was odd staring at this boy – he couldn't be much older than Sokka – and know that he was the mighty Fire Lord, ruler of an entire country. Yet this was the same man who had taken interest in his daughter, a Water Tribe girl. Why, with all the concubines and maidens he could choose from? And he had forced Katara into concubinage. He loved and cared for his daughter too much to just ignore that, and wondered how other fathers could so easily give away their daughters in such a way.

"Is there something you wish to say?" the Fire Lord asked after several long moments of silence. He didn't sound imperious like he did in the throne room. Here, he sounded like a normal teenager boy asking a older person a polite question. Hakoda blinked and quickly collected his thoughts.

"I do not mean to appear rude or impatient, but I am wondering when we will talk about... business." the chieftain asked.

"We can talk right now, if you like. I simply thought you and your men would like to get settled after what Zhao did. Are you not enjoying yourself?"

"Oh, yes. Your hospitality is impeccable." the Water Tribesman said, thinking of the treatment his tribe had been given since being taken from Zhao's clutches. They had been given a fulfilling breakfast at the barracks, given privacy to wash themselves, clean clothes, and in the Palace more clean clothes, tea, a place to rest, and here, courtesy and respect from the Fire Lord himself. He could hardly complain about his surroundings, though he did feel overwhelmed by all the red he saw.

"That's good to hear." The Fire Lord looked solemn, but Hakoda had a feeling that he wanted to smile. For such a young person, he looked so serious. The scarred youth glanced over at Katara, who had completed her rounds of one table and was now at the other. Hakoda was surprised to see his daughter's captor's gaze soften for a moment, and he turned his attention to Katara as well.

As Katara spoke to one of her fellow Tribesmen, she looked up, seeing her father and Zuko look at her. She smiled back at them. Her father returned her smile, but Zuko did not. However, she did not feel offended. Zuko was very taciturn and uptight in public, saving his warmth for the privacy of his bedchamber. Katara actually liked that, for it made their closeness all the more special. No one would ever guess at how much Zuko cared for her, and how affectionate he could actually be. But regardless of his attitude or where they were, he was always respectful of her. She met his gaze and held her smile, and she could see the ever-so-slight relaxing of his expression and the warmth in his eyes. She bowed her head slightly before returning to her conversation with Yuluk.

"She seems happy." Hakoda murmured.

"Why shouldn't she?" Zuko countered quietly. "Her Tribe is safe, and the war is over."

"I meant... here. With you."

"She is cared for. I did not make her my Consort for nothing."

Hakoda was not aware that his son was listening until Sokka elbowed him in a subtle but firm manner as Zuko said that.

"Don't forget what I told you." Sokka said in the barest of whispers. Hakoda nodded briefly to acknowledge his son's words. Sokka had described all too well the tears on his sister's face, the pain in her words.

"I'll be frank, when I heard that the Fire Lord had taken a Water Tribe woman as his consort, I didn't believe it. Even when I got the paper that you and Katara signed, I still had a hard time believing it. I wasn't sure if I should come."

"I'm glad you did." Zuko regarded him with a frank expression.

"I never thought that I would be sitting at the same table as the Fire Lord. Or that he would want peace."

"The War has gone on long enough. It should not have been started in the first place."

"It is nice to know that my Tribe will not need to worry about raids anymore."

"Raids are now an act of treason in the Fire Nation. Anyone who attempts to do so will face my wrath."

"After seeing what happened in the Throne Room, I have no doubt of that." Hakoda replied. A faint smirk crept across the Fire Lord's face before he went back to his meal. Hakoda returned to his own food, alternating between mouthfuls of fluffy white rice and the various exotic dishes set before him. Sokka wasn't as cautious about the potential spiciness of his food and was eagerly finishing off a skewer loaded with thick pieces of glazed meat nuggets.

Within a short time, Katara returned to her original table, speaking softly with Bato before turning her attention to her brother. She squeezed his shoulder gently, and he quickly reached up to take her hand before she could pull it away. He didn't want to let go, not after how they had been separated before. It was an instinctive reaction to not want to let go of her hand, and she gently patted his hand with her free one.

"I've missed you." Sokka didn't know what else to say, since he found himself overwhelmed. After Zuko had turned him loose, he had feared he would never see his sister again. Feeling her hand sent a powerful surge of emotions through him. Sure, they might tease and argue, but they were brother and sister, and they loved one another without question.

"Missed you too, big brother." She leaned down, pressing her cheek against his temple for a moment. His sister smelled different, like fire-lilies and other exotic scents he could not identify. When she tugged her hand away, he did not fight, and let his own hand slide down to the table. She returned to her seat, where she remained for the rest of the meal.

o0o0o0o

Though prisoners usually were sent to the infamous Boiling Rock prison, those arrested within the Palace City were usually held in the Imperial Dungeon first, to await trail or sentencing before being sent away or executed. It was a sturdy structure built against the volcano wall, and due to its position, remained in shadow except for a few minutes around noon, making it an dark place indeed for the condemned.

Sylid looked down at Zhao, shaking his head slowly as he finished bandaging up the arm. The burn had been so severe, literally cooking most of the flesh. It was a fact that Zhao would never be able to use that arm normally again. Hell, there was a big chance that he might end up losing it anyway. He would never forget the sight of the flames erupting along Zhao's hand and arm, as if Agni himself was rebuking this man for his arrogance and hatred.

Stunned from his injury and the drugs used to numb the pain – an endeavor that was only partially successful due to the severity of the injury – Zhao stared ahead blankly, his head lolling back on the small pillow. He wanted to deny it, to tell himself that he could still win, but deep down inside, he knew it was all over. He would never be Admiral, or hold another position of honor ever again. He would never hold any position, period. Unless one considered 'traitor' a position.

_Damnit, I'm not a traitor! I was only doing what was right!_ He was so lost in his musings that he did not notice the physician move away, and he dimly registered the sound of the cell door closing with a loud clank.

Another man appeared within his line of vision, staring at him through the bars. Zhao scowled. That half-breed bastard should be in here rather than being one of the most high-ranked men in the Fire Nation! He wanted to set fire to that stupid face, but that thought sent a fresh surge of pain shooting through his arm.

"Come to gloat, whoreson?" he growled. Kamas simply stared back at him calmly, shaking his head slowly. Zhao hadn't changed from the days when Kamas had just joined the army, following his father's footsteps. When he was younger, he was like Zuko – idealistic, believing that the Fire Nation could do no wrong. He was the son of a well-ranked man, but his mother had been his father's comfort-woman, and she was from the Earth Kingdom. His father had treated him well and ensured that he had the best education possible, but people like Zhao mocked and ridiculed him for being of mixed blood.

Kamas knew that he shouldn't take pleasure in gloating, but it did feel satisfying, especially since Zhao had done this to himself.

"Even like this, after you have lost all your power, you still haven't learned the slightest bit of humility. I should hate you for all the things you've said and done to me in the past, but I can't help but pity you."

_Pity?_ Zhao tried to rise from his seat, but the injury and medication drained him of most of his strength, and all he could do was rise a few inches before he flopped back down, this movement jarring his arm and sending a fresh, searing burst of pain screaming through his body.

"May Agni have mercy on you, because the Fire Lord is within his rights to give you none."

o0o0o0o

The Waterbender sat by the lake with her father, both of them staring at the water for several moments before she looked at him. The Fire Lord and Iroh had taken their leave so she could spend some time alone with her family.

"I'm happy that you're safe, and I do believe that the Fire Lord wants peace." Hakoda started as he looked at her, still unused to the sight of his daughter in the fine robes of a royal consort. A Fire Nation consort. He swallowed and continued, "But when Sokka found us, he told me what happened to you. I... feared the worst."

Katara looked down at her hands, which were at the moment loosely folded in her lap. Hakoda let out a quiet sigh.

"Katara, did the Fire Lord force you into concubinage?" he asked. His tone was non-judgmental, but Katara could not help but feel ashamed. She could lie, but that wouldn't be right.

"He... captured the three of us." she replied simply. He let out a soft groan.

"But..." She raised her chin, looking at him. "It's a long story, but... well, the reason Zuko had to capture the Avatar in the first place was because his father had exiled him. He couldn't come back here unless he had Aang."

"Why would he exile his son?"

"A general wanted to sacrifice a troop of newly-recruited soldiers so another troop could strike. Zuko did not think it was right to throw away all these lives, so he spoke out. He was to duel with that general, but Ozai surprised him by showing up instead. Zuko refused to fight, so Ozai, he..." Katara gestured to the left side of her face, pointing to the area where Zuko had his scar. Hakoda's eyes widened.

"That's where he got his scar?"

"Yes. At first, I hated him, but..." She glanced over at the lake. "He never abused or beat me. We were all his prisoners, but he was never cruel to us. And he let Sokka go before we came to Sozun."

"What about the Avatar?"

"Zuko turned him loose, like I said before. Now that he is Fire Lord, he has no need to keep Aang prisoner. And I'm no longer a concubine. I am the Consort, the highest-ranked woman in the Fire Nation. And very few men are ranked above me. I know it is hard for you to believe after what Sokka told you, and he did tell the truth, but..." She looked back at him. "The Fire Lord wouldn't have made me his Consort if he didn't care for me."

Hakoda frowned, clenching his jaw for a moment.

"He forced you into concubinage! How... how can I just accept that? I want you to come home with me!"

"Come home to what? I am the Fire Lord's consort. What other man would want to lay with me now that I am unclean?"

"Unclean? Don't say that..." He reached out to grasp his daughter's shoulders. Customs were different here, to be certain, but in their Tribe, no one would ostracize a woman if she were raped. Why should a woman suffer for being violated? He would have loved Kaya whether she came to their wedding night a virgin or not. "There is someone who wants to marry you."

"...What?" Katara raised her eyebrow in curiosity, regarding her father.

"When Bato caught up to us, he told me about seeing you and Sokka. He was so happy to see the two of you."

"We were happy to see him, too." Katara replied quietly. _Bato?_

"He asked me for permission to court you when the War was over. He cares for you."

She blushed and could not speak for several moments as she processed this information. Bato was a good man, and was hardly a poor candidate for her hand in marriage. If she had never met and known Zuko, or come to care for him, then she would have been fine with Bato. But it was too late, things had changed.

"The Fire Lord would never let you take me away."

"So I am to sit by and let you remain with the man that forced you to become his concubine?" Hakoda's tone became heated as he remembered receiving Sokka's unfortunate news. "When Sokka told me about you, I wanted to march into the Fire Nation and kill every man there! The Fire Nation killed my wife, and now it was using my daughter...!" His fists clenched into tight balls as he remembered the fear he felt for his daughter, trying not to imagine her being raped by the Fire Prince or his soldiers.

"Zhao killed Mom." Katara said, diverting her father's attention away from herself. Hakoda stiffened and did not speak for several moments. He had never had the chance to see his wife's murderer, because by the time he found his wife's dead body and weeping daughter, the raiders had retreated.

"I saw his face for a moment. I would never forget it, and then when Zhao came to Court, I recognized him and..." Katara clenched her own fists, remembering the rage she felt, and the bitter satisfaction she had felt when she Bloodbended his body. She relaxed her hands, collecting herself. "Zuko knows. Her murder has been added to the list of crimes against him. Mom's murderer will face justice."

"You call him by his name?"

Katara blushed faintly. In Court and public, she observed every courtesy and obeisance, calling him lord, bowing to him, and the like. Even in front of her servants, she referred to Zuko as 'my lord' or 'Lord Zuko'.

"In private, yes. Just as he calls me by my name when we are alone." When she saw her father frown, she realized just how naughty her last sentence sounded. Sure, he would call her by her name, or 'Tara' when they made love, but it wasn't just during that intimate time. And now Dad had his focus turned back to her and her situation with the Fire Lord. She silently cursed herself for this slip, and was about to speak when her father started talking.

"Regardless of what the Fire Lord has done for the peace of the world, I cannot simply ignore this as if it never happened. It is not honorable to force a woman to become someone's concubine! No loving father could ever ignore that!" His voice was fierce. Katara felt tears fighting to break free.

How often had she wished for the presence and reassurance of her family when she had been a captive concubine on Zuko's ship or in the Fire Nation under the rule of the former Fire Lord? How often had she longed for a reassuring embrace or kind words from the ones she loved and missed? All these times she had yearned for the comforting safety of her father's protection...

A soft sob escaped her throat, and the tears broke free. Hakoda leaned forward and took her into his arms.

o0o0o0o

Dad wanted to talk to Sokka for a bit, so Katara went to find the other Tribesmen, seeking out Bato. His eyes lit up with happiness when she said that she wanted to talk to him alone, and he obligingly They sat by the lake in a small grove that was formed by the overhanging branches of a weeping willow tree.

"What did you wish to speak to me about?" he asked. She gestured to his arm.

"I can see that your arm is pretty much healed, but I notice that you don't move it much."

Bato had no difficulty lifting his arm or flexing his fingers, but she noticed that he had limited flexibility in his elbow and wrist. Having seen the difficulty that Zuko had in opening his scarred eyelid, it wasn't hard to figure out why. She hoped that with her healing abilities she could help him at least a little bit.

"Yeah. The skin is very stiff, and it doesn't seem to want to flex." He bent his elbow as much as he could, which took considerable effort.

"I'd like to help you. After you parted company with Sokka and me, I... discovered a new aspect to my Bending. I can heal cuts and injuries."

Bato's eyes lit up in amazement. "That's wonderful!"

Katara smiled shyly. "If I had known I could do it back then, I'd have healed you right then and there."

"Better late than never, right?" he asked with a smile. She nodded before lifting her hand, Bending a thick water whip out of the lake. With this, she made a 'sleeve', wrapping the water around his arm and enveloping the entire limb and along his shoulder and upper left chest. She wasn't able to see his chest, but could sense the border where healthy flesh met the scarred skin. How fortunate it was that Bato hadn't suffered severe enough damage to have the limb amputated or anything like that! She closed her eyes, focusing on the water, silently commanding it to repair whatever it could. The water glowed for several moments as it always did whenever her healing went into effect, and Bato let out a low groan, feeling coolness penetrate his arm. He shivered slightly as the coolness turned to tingling, and opened his eyes when he felt the water sliding down his arm and flowing down to the shore.

His arm was still scarred, but when he lifted his forearm, he immediately noticed more flexibility in his elbow, and noted that when the water slid from his arm, he had been able to feel it to a certain degree. Some of the nerve endings in his arm had been restored, so even though he would never have full sensation again due to the deadened skin, he would still be able to feel to an extent. The range of motion within his joints had been restored, so his elbow and wrist were no longer stiff.

"This... it's amazing!" Bato murmured with awe as he looked at Katara. He wiggled his arm a bit, gently poking his forearm with his other hand and delighting in the fact that he could actually feel it.

"Glad I could make it better, though I wish I could have done more." Katara had tried the same thing with Zuko's scar, but the flesh had long since healed. The most she had been able to do was increase the flexibility of his eyelid a little so he could open and close it a bit more quickly.

"Hey, I'm not complaining. Thank you so much!" he regarded her with one of his wide, warm grins. She looked away shyly, remembering what her father had said to her about Bato's proposal. Excusing herself, she quickly rose to her feet and left his side.

o0o0o0o

A messenger had come to inform him that Hakoda was ready to talk with him. He had just finished the necessary talks with his own men regarding Zhao and the rest of his supporters. Said traitors were all stewing in the Imperial Dungeon, awaiting their fate, but there was still work to be done. An example had to be set for all future naysayers who did not wish for peace. But that would be taken care of later.

He was pleased with how lunch had gone, and was confident that so far he had made a good impression on the Water Tribe. He knew that they had lived through the raids and that some of them had lost beloved family members and friends. They had been expecting him to be a monster, and instead what they saw was a Fire Lord that treated them with generosity and respect.

But before he would meet with the Tribe to discuss official matters, Hakoda had requested a private audience with him. Zuko saw no reason to deny this request, so he waited patiently on his throne as the door opened, admitting Hakoda and his daughter. As Hakoda drew closer to the throne and bowed, Katara stayed back, though she also performed the correct bow.

"What is it that you wish to discuss in private?" the Fire Lord asked.

"This regards a serious issue, and I must be honest with you."

"Certainly."

"I know that you forced my daughter to be your concubine."

Zuko was silent for a few moments, feeling his heart pound. Why should he be so nervous? He let out a low sigh, knowing that he would be honest. He should have been expecting this – there was no denying the animosity that Sokka had for him and the inevitable fact that he would tell his father what had happened to Katara. Before he could formulate a response, Hakoda continued.

"Please do not think that I am not grateful for the peace you are offering us. But as Katara's father, I cannot ignore this thing you have done to her."

"Nor would I expect you to." Zuko replied in frank admission. "I will not deny that our... relationship didn't start off well. Not a day goes by that I do not regret the pain I have caused her. I am not attempting to make excuses, but I will say that back then, I was very... angry and confused. And then I encountered your daughter. Several times in fact, while I was trying to capture the Avatar. I desired her, and when I captured her and the Avatar..." He swallowed. "I already desired her, so I took advantage of the opportunity." He saw Hakoda frown, but did not acknowledge or rebuke it.

"You say that you value honor. That there is no honor in the war, or taking us as prisoners, or being a traitor or the like..."

"Of course."

"There's no honor in forcing a woman into concubinage. But it would be honorable to return her to her father and Tribe."

Zuko clenched his jaw. There was no way in hell he was going to let Katara go. Let her leave the Fire Nation, to go back to her tribe and possibly marry another man while his bed remained empty, while he had no beloved companion? If Katara had truly been no more than a concubine, he would have done one of two things.

"If your daughter truly were nothing but a concubine to me, there would be two options. One would be to strip Katara of all rank and let her go home with you. Or have you executed on the spot for your impertinence in making this request."

Hakoda stared at Zuko levelly.

"However, your daughter is not a concubine, a woman here solely to warm my bed. She is honored above all other women, and the day I became Fire Lord, I promoted her to Consort. There is no other woman for me, nor will there be. I will forgive you your demand, but I will _not_ let her go for the simple fact that she means too much to me. If not for her, my father might still be Fire Lord, and your Tribe would have eventually been exterminated, just as my sire wanted. This may surprise you, but Katara... inspired me to do the right thing."

Hakoda's eyes widened in surprise, and he looked over his shoulder at his daughter. She nodded faintly. He turned back to the Fire Lord, who he now realized was practically his son-in-law.

"Then I need to ask another question."

"Go ahead."

"Do you love Katara?" Hakoda asked.

"With all my heart." Zuko replied without hesitation. Hakoda stared at him for a moment. Katara had assured him that the Fire Lord valued truth just as much as he did honor, and he had answered his question without any kind of reluctance or needing to think about his response. And his tone offered no hint of lies or flattery.

"That's something we have in common." the Fire Lord added after that moment of silence, "We both love Katara." His expression had softened so that he no longer looked so imposing or aloof. "Ever since I took her as mine, I have always ensured that she was safe and comfortable, regardless of whether she was on the ship or here."

Hakoda let out a quiet sigh. He had asked Katara whether she was well-cared for, and her answer was yes. Zuko never beat her, nor had he ever been cruel to Sokka or the Avatar. As much as Hakoda wanted to take his daughter from this place, he knew when he was beat. Katara had pleaded with him to not rouse Zuko's ire, to think of the Tribe and what the Fire Lord could do for them. It was rather selfless for her to make that plea, and as much as he hated the idea of his daughter being stuck here, he could not help but be proud that she was willing to sacrifice herself for the good of her people.

After a few moments of internal deliberation, Hakoda nodded slowly, staring evenly at the Fire Lord for a moment before bowing his head.

o0o0o0o

Zhao felt light-headed as he was led out of his cell. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kougyo, Lao, and the rest of his supporters being herded out of their cells in similar fashion. It had been three days since his failed coup, and over that time, he had been cursed from the other cells. When he was lucid enough, he would return these. Once in a while, one of the other men would be the target of attention, namely Kougyo, but he received the brunt of the blame.

He looked down at the stump where his right hand used to be. Two days ago, after an excruciating night of pain, Sylid had examined his hand and said it had to come off. Zhao had tried to fight him off, but the physician forced drugs onto him and when he came to, his hand was gone. Deep down inside, he knew that his hand could not be saved. The damage was too extensive, he was unable to flex or move his fingers at all and 1his hand was little more than baked meat, but still! To suffer this indignity...

Only if Ozai had beaten his son in the Agni Kai... oh, things would have been different – and so much better. Instead, he was disgraced, stripped of all power and rank, and missing a hand. _Please let this all be some horrible nightmare_, he silently prayed to Agni.

But Agni had forsaken him. Why would Agni allow this to happen?

He didn't put up a struggle as the guards ushered him down the hallway. Part of him wanted to, especially when one of them – a face he recognized – sneered at him. But he knew he stood no real chance. Even if he managed to overcome these men, there would be more outside, and nobody in their right mind would allow him to go beyond the volcano walls.

Zhao turned his face towards the sun as he and the others emerged into the daylight. All Firebenders felt the sun's radiance more acutely than the non-Benders of their people, and Zhao was shocked to feel himself flinch backwards slightly, the memory of the flame eating up his arm and hand a startlingly painful memory even now after he had replayed the ill-fated scene in his head so many times during his confinement.

As the men were led into the throne room, Zhao was pushed to the front of the group, and Kougyo was unceremoniously handled, shoved to stand next to him. The old man gave out an angry – and pained – yelp as he stumbled forward. The throne room was packed, though not with the usual audience he might expect. Yes, there were courtiers, plenty of representatives from the various noble houses as well as merchant organizations, but he was surprised to see an larger than normal amount of soldiers and military officers in attendance. There were the Water Tribesmen, dressed as comfortably as any nobleman, Zhao noticed with disgust. Iroh sat at the Fire Lord's right side, a step below the dais while Katara sat at his left. Near Katara were several ladies, including Hana and Lily.

Zhao stared ahead blankly as his list of crimes were read out. Treason, disobedience, lying to the Fire Lord, abuse of his military power, and so on and so forth – all the crimes he would have expected to be charged with from that little bratling that sat in the Dragon Throne. But when Kamas read the next item on the list, Zhao froze.

"Slaughter of innocent citizens of the Water Tribe, including the mother of the Royal Consort."

"...What?" Zhao whispered as a surprised murmur rippled through the crowd. He looked up in surprise.

"I was a soldier. I killed people! Are you going to arrest every soldier that has killed somebody in battle?" he demanded.

"A good and honorable soldier does not slaughter civilians." the Fire Lord said. Katara glared at Zhao before she spoke.

"My mother begged for mercy. She was trying to keep her children safe, and you laughed in her face before you killed her!" the blue-eyed Consort said, her gaze as icy as the snowfields she came from. Zhao noticed several people look at him with disgust. _Oh shit._ He remembered the little girl he had seen when he had been about to kill the Water Tribe woman that had been begging for his life. Now that he thought about it... Katara looked a lot like that woman now. Spirits above! The Water Tribe had been the bane of his existence, even now! Could he never escape the Water-witches!

Kougyo had a list of crimes similar to Zhao's own, sans the murder of a Water Tribe woman, of course. He kept his nearly-bald head bowed, staring down at the floor. Lao and the others all had the same list of offenses with little variation for each individual. All together, they were given the same crime of conspiracy and being traitors to the Dragon Throne and the Fire Nation.

"Do you have anything to say before your sentencing?" the Fire Lord asked as he looked down at the group.

"I only did what was right for the Fire Nation!" Zhao stated firmly. He might not have much else, but he would be damned if he didn't maintain his position. "My only regret that I am being punished for my patriotism. Agni guided Fire Lord Sozin when he started the war, and I am proud to be part of Sozin's legacy!"

"Agni has rebuked you for your actions... rather firmly!" Zuko replied coolly, his eyes sliding over to the bandaged stump of the former Admiral's arm, said appendage partially hidden by the sleeve of the rough robe that Zhao had been put in. Several quiet chuckles rippled through the audience.

"Mercy!" Lao cried out, falling to his knees and kowtowing to the Fire Lord, banging his head against the floor several times and prostrating himself. The Fire Lord merely gazed down at him coolly.

"I will never question you again, my lord! I have seen the error of my ways and humbly beseech you to give me another chance. I swear to Agni, what you ask, I will do!"

"Being a traitor once is already one time too many." The Fire Lord had been in intense discussion with his council and uncle for the last three days, trying to determine the best punishment for Zhao and his co-conspirators. Zuko was tempted to send them all to death, and that would set an example nobody would forget. But it was also something that Ozai would have done – and for lesser offenses – and Zuko had no desire to be seen as a tyrant. But at the same time, he knew he had to set an example. Treason could not be tolerated at all. Period.

"I already made my position on this clear when Zhao first dared to suggest that I need a Regent. All of you had the opportunity to back out then. But did any of you have the wisdom to take that chance I offered you? No. You and Zhao attempted to overthrow my rule, and there is no excuse for that. The Death Dragon was punished for the treason he committed against the Fire Nation."

Katara swallowed as she remembered Shi-Ryuu's execution. She didn't take pleasure in watching someone die, but she didn't want Zhao to live, either. And after her time as Consort and privately participating in the Fire Lord's decisions, she had a much better understanding of Courtly affairs and the consequences of certain actions,

"The crimes you have committed are far too grave for me to have any mercy, Zhao. The only appropriate course of action would be to have you executed. This will be tomorrow. I suggest that you use your remaining time to think about what you have done and ask Agni for forgiveness, because here you will receive none."

Zhao simply closed his eyes. He shouldn't have expected any more or less from the Fire Lord. At least he wouldn't be left alive to rot in prison and dwell on his failures and what-ifs.

"As for the rest of you..." Zuko's eyes moved along the rest of the traitors, "You are hereby stripped of all rank and position. Your Houses are disgraced and are no longer welcome at Court. Your properties and assets have been seized and now belong to me. Your families will be spared, but they will have to support themselves. It will be a much-needed lesson in humility for them. Especially _your_ family, Lao." The House of Taam had been a fixture at Court for so long that it had steeped itself in nepotism and corruption to an alarming degree. With no more Taams in court, worthier members of lesser families would have a chance to prove their worth. This was a long time in coming.

"The rest of you will return to the Imperial Dungeon to serve out life sentences there or at the Boiling Rock, depending on my decision."

In the Imperial Dungeon, they would be safe within their cells. At the Boiling Rock, they would most likely be preyed upon by the other prisoners once they found out just who the 'fresh meat' was. He still had to decide on that, but he would take care of that soon enough. He had examined many records of Boiling Rock prisoners, freeing some because they had been placed in there by Zhao or other rabid supporters of the War for speaking out against it. He remembered a recent case he had reviewed, that of a man named Chit Sang. He would have to pay a visit to the prison soon enough.

Being the Fire Lord certainly wasn't an easy task, but by Agni, he was determined to do the best job he could. He glanced down at Zhao, relieved that the regency crisis was over. He wished that his father would have been proud of him – if not for the actual decisions he made, but the strength he displayed.

o0o0o0o

Lily made her way to the Peony Pavilion. There, she saw Katara sitting with Hana and several other ladies. The Royal Consort smiled at her warmly as she sat down, and Lily smiled back. It felt so good to see Kougyo led away in shackles. He'd never sleep on silk sheets again, have his food prepared just the way he liked it – and he was just as bad as a child who was a picky eater – enjoy the attention of a personal masseur, or enjoy any other luxury in life ever again. He would be confined to a cell, forced to eat ordinary prisoner fare, and sleep on a bed of straw. His life was no longer his own – his mealtime and bedtime – even bathtime – would be dictated by his guards.

She knew she oughtn't take pleasure in the misfortune of others, but that dirty old man had it coming to him. Kamas had arranged for her to own Kougyo's vacation house on Ember Island, and because of her father's service in the war and her own role in helping the Royal Consort, she and her mother would each receive a pension that would ensure their care for the rest of their lives. Mother could get the medical attention she needed and not have to work herself to the bone to support their family. In a few days, lily would be boarding a ship to return to her family.

"Good to see you again, Lily." Katara whispered as the girl settled down in her seat next to the Consort.

"That's not my real name. Kougyo gave it to me. I don't wish to be called that anymore."

"What's your name, then?"

"Peony." Her father had named her that because when she was born, the peonies had been blooming. Her birthday was coming up, and barring any delays, she would see her family just in time for her special day. Her name reminded her of her father and the love he had for her.

"That name suits you." Katara replied with a soft smile. She glanced at the other girls at the table.

"This is Peony. She will be joining us for lunch today."

Peony glanced at the others as they greeted her and introduced themselves. They were all around the same age, give or take a few years. She was the youngest of the group, but the others made her feel welcome, especially the grey-eyed girl named Ty Lee. It felt so good to be spending time with girls her own age. She could finally live a normal life again.

o0o0o0o

Zhao stared at the patch of moonlight that filtered in through the tiny window as he sat on the thin mat, trying to not think about his fate. Agni damnit, he thought to himself.

_You have forsaken yourself. Agni had nothing to do with it_. This ethereal whisperer came from a location he was unable to discern. Zhao blinked and looked up, sure he had imagined it. Probably his stupid conscience, or what little he had of it, if he even had any.

"Fuck that." he muttered. He could not escape his execution, but he hoped that others would see him as a martyr. It would be nice to be remembered as a patriot, not the traitor the Fire Lord had branded him as.

_Even now, you still delude yourself._ The voice was more clear now, and he was certain that it wasn't his damned conscience.

"What?" he asked incredulously, blinking his eyes. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a person with flowing white hair, but when he turned to look, there was nobody else in the room.

_This day has been long in coming. _What felt like fingers brushed against his cheek, and he jerked back, but again, he was alone in the room.

"Who the hell are you?"

_Come now, surely you've not forgotten? You've murdered plenty of Water Tribe members amongst the innocent people you have killed, but I was hoping you'd remember me a little better._

"Leave me alone!" Zhao rose from the mat, swatting the air as if he were dealing with a bothersome fly. Suddenly, he felt icy breath on the back of his neck, causing him to shudder violently.

_You sought to exterminate the Water Tribes just as Sozin tried to obliterate the Air Nomads. Like him, you will suffer the consequences. The spirits do not look kindly upon your ilk._ This was said as if there were lips pressed to his ear, sending icy breath along the side of his face. He turned his face to see an exceptionally beautiful face, with pale blue eyes and flowing white hair, her body clad in robes of silver and white. These eyes, that hair... He instantly knew who it was.

She was floating in the air, her body suffused by a pale, ethereal glow.

"Let me out!" Zhao screamed in panic, grabbing the bars with his remaining hand.

_You will pay for your crimes in full. You will suffer for your sins in this world and the next. People will spit upon your name. The Fire Nation will know you only as a traitor of the worst kind. And then, you will be forgotten while the names of Zuko and Katara will be remembered for eternity..._

The guards stationed outside heard his screams, and one of them went to investigate. Zhao was shrieking to be let out, to be left alone, only there was nobody in the cell with him.

The screams and pleas lasted for the better part of an hour before lapsing into silence. A few hours later, the screams resumed, and the night-shift guards ignored his cries and pleas, concluding that all that had happened to him over the last few days had caused him to snap. It wouldn't be the first time a prisoner had such a nervous breakdown, and when Zhao started screaming about water-witches, the guards merely rolled their eyes.

The screams lasted until dawn when the first light broke over the horizon. When one of them went to the cell to bring the disgraced Firebender his breakfast ration of water and gruel, he found him curled up in a fetal position, unable to speak because his throat was so raw.

o0o0o0o

The brisk ocean breeze felt good on Katara's face as she stood on the pier beside the Fire Lord. The large ship floated on the water with its ramp down, waiting to admit her father and the rest of the Tribe. The ship was loaded with all sorts of goodies – food, spices, bullion of several different kinds of metal, bolts of silk and other fabrics, and building supplies. Jee and a crew had been assigned to pilot the ship, and some of the men that had served Zuko in exile had volunteered, having enjoyed the traveling before. Jee was a trustworthy man, and Hakoda actually liked him. Jee would ensure the safety of the Tribe as well as teaching them more about the Fire Nation and helping them to establish a trade route.

She looked up as her father and brother approached her. Both of them – along with the rest of the men – were clad in brand-new blue and indigo-dyed clothing, and the entire group looked rather striking. She was happy to know that they were safe, and that they would be returning home to be reunited with their loved ones. She wished she was going back with them, so she could see her tribe again. But at least she could sleep better at night knowing that her Tribe was now safe and that Zuko would help protect them.

She held out her arms, and was swept up in a tight embrace. She tried to fight the tears that threatened to break free, and failed, crying softly on her father's shoulder. The last week had been incredible, spending all that time with her Tribe. It was comforting to have people she knew and loved here in the Palace City. Yes, Zuko loved and cared for her, but she was still a lone Water Tribe woman in the heart of the Fire Nation. With her Tribesmen around, she didn't feel so lonely.

Zhao had been executed after he was raving about the Water-witches – she noted that he referred to this as plural, not singular – and while she didn't take pleasure in seeing him die, there was a grim satisfaction in knowing that he would not be able to hurt anybody ever again.

The Fire Lord was silent as he observed Hakoda and Katara. He had never received a hug from his own father, and could not help but wonder what life would have been like had Ozai been more like Hakoda. He glanced at Hakoda for a moment before politely looking away.

When Katara pulled away, Sokka pulled her into a hug of his own.

"I'll miss you so much." she whispered. He stroked her hair, nodding.

"Not as much as I'll miss you..." he shot back lightly. She sniffled and smiled at him.

"If Zuko ever hurts you..." he murmured.

"I know." She squeezed his shoulders. Sokka hadn't quite warmed up to the Fire Lord, but at least he didn't glare at Zuko any more. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Bato, tall and proud, glancing at her with a sad look in his eyes that he was trying to mask. She felt a tug in her heart, and could not help but wish she was indeed going back to the South Pole with her family. She had to console herself with the fact that she was able to use her position as Consort for the welfare of her Tribe.

Hakoda and Sokka were the last to board the ship. She looked up, shielding her eyes from the sun with her hand as she looked at the row of Tribesmen, waving to them as the ship pulled from the pier.

Zuko placed his hand on her shoulder, feeling the slight tremble of her pent-up emotion. Katara collected herself, wiping away the last of her tears before she looked over her shoulder at the Fire Lord.

"Let's go home." he whispered, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as he looked down at her. She looked back at the ship for a moment, hearing the waves lapping on the shore and against the pier supports. _Home..._

"Wait."

"Hmm?" The Fire Lord looked down at her inquisitively, noting the melancholy in her eyes. He didn't want to admit that her pain affected him, that even though he didn't want to let her go, he could not help but feel guilty for the sadness and turmoil she was experiencing, knowing that he was responsible for it.

"It's been too long since we were outside of the volcano." Katara looked out at the ocean, feeling soothed by its natural rhythm. "Let's stay outside for a while longer."

"How could I say no to these pretty blue eyes?" he responded with a faint smile, relieved when he saw a flicker of happiness in her face.


	35. The Festival

**Hot Water**

Chapter XXXIV – The Festival

o0o0o0o

Katara could not help but be impressed as she approached the edge of the volcano wall, seeing the island in the middle of the crater, steam rising from the lake surrounding it. When Zuko said he was going to the infamous Boiling Rock prison, she had seen this as an opportunity to see more of the Fire Nation and escape the confinement of the Palace City. Normally, concubines and even wives did not accompany their husbands on business, the world of men and women being seen as separate – something that wasn't much different between the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes.

But when she had asked him if she could go, he said yes. Most men would have _never_ considered taking their women to such a place like this. Women – especially noble ladies – were supposed to be delicate and fragile, shielded from the ugliness of life by their fathers, husbands, and even sons. _Thank goodness Zuko never treats me like that_, Katara mused as the Fire Lord ushered her into the waiting gondola.

"What happens a cable breaks and this car falls?" Katara could not help but ask as the vehicle made its journey to the island.

"That's why there's two cables." one of the Boiling Rock guards explained. "If one breaks, the other one is still there to provide support, and should both break, this car has air pockets under the floor and comes with a hull, much like a ship." He pointed to oars that rested on hooks just below the roof. "It has never happened since the cables are always kept in good repair and the gondolas are inspected regularly, but in a situation like this, it is wise to always be alert and prepared."

"I can imagine. And that's a good adage to live by.." Katara replied, remembering what she had learned about this place. Kougyo and Lao would spend the rest of their lives here, along with the rest of Zhao's supporters. "Thank you."

The guard – a young man – blushed just a bit, thankful that his helmet covered his cheeks. Like everyone else in the Fire Nation, he had heard about the Fire Lord having a Water Tribe consort, and what had happened with Zhao's attempted overthrow of the throne. But he had never imagined that he – a lowly guard from a family of very modest means – would ever come face-to-face with the Fire Lord or his consort. And nobody had ever thanked him for answering a question before. "My pleasure." he replied, inclining his head in a respectful bow. She smiled at him for a moment, and his heart skipped a beat.

The Warden was waiting for them on the landing along with several high-ranked guards. All of them dropped into bows before the Fire Lord, reciting the proper greetings and obeisances. Katara knew better than to judge people based on their appearance, but it was hard to not notice the Warden's lips, it looked almost as if he had applied rouge to his lips. He bowed to her, but she could see that he was not pleased to have her here, despite his recited greeting, and though he tried to hide it, she could tell that he was surprised to have a lady visiting. It didn't bother her as much as it would have in the past.

"Would you like to see the traitors?" the Warden asked. He had not been told of this visit – it was a complete surprise to him – and he could not imagine why the Fire Lord would be here unless he was here to see the men who had tried to establish a Regency and resume Sozin's War.

"Perhaps later. But right now, what I want is a tour of the prison."

"As you wish, my lord." The Warden had been here for twenty years, most of them as the Warden. Fire Lord Ozai had been here just a couple of times, and the Warden had never met his son face-to-face. He knew Zuko was young, but he was surprised at just how young this man looked, and even more by the woman at his side. Ozai had never brought Ursa or any of his favorite concubines along on trips such as this.

The small group made their way through the prison. The Fire Lord could not help but be impressed at the construction and arrangement of the entire structure. Offices and areas reserved for guards were mainly located on the top level, with a couple more areas down below. The cafeteria was clean and organized, and the Fire Lord and his woman tasted the food and enjoyed it, much to the Warden's relief.

Because of the unique method of getting in and out of the prison and the fact that the Boiling Rock was an island within a volcano with no attached town, it was easier for the guards to just live here, their food and board free as compensation for the fact that they were for the most part cut off from the rest of the world. Food, supplies, books, and other items were launched across the boiling water in specially-designed boats because the gondolas could not carry the large amount needed to take care of the population within the prison. All boats were carefully inspected on both sides of this short journey to ensure that no prisoners had stowed aboard. And living together enabled the guards to recognize one another better, so it was near impossible for a prisoner to try to pass himself off as one.

The Warden was pleased to tell the Fire Lord that not one single prisoner had escaped the Boiling Rock in his tenure as Warden. He was let down by the Fire Lord's calm nod, having expected Zuko to respond more approvingly to the news. But at least Zuko didn't seem displeased with anything. He nodded approvingly as he saw the living quarters of the guards, and seemed impressed by the filing and organization system of the offices.

_So far, so good_, the Warden noted. Like any other high-ranking man in the Fire Nation, he knew of Zhao's attempted overthrow of the Dragon Throne. Personally, he was very neutral towards the War. If the Fire Lord wanted to fight, then fine. If the Fire Lord wanted peace... well, he wasn't about to object to the Fire Lord's whims. The Colonies established on the Great Continent were strong and prosperous. Sozin had intended for the Fire Nation to become strong enough that the Earth Kingdoms could pose no real threat anymore, and that goal had been achieved.

His niece, Mai, had been a potential candidate to be a concubine to the former Fire Lord. But personally, the Warden was glad that she hadn't become one, he was fond of her and knew of Ozai's reputation regarding the women he kept in his harem. Better that Mai be married off properly to become a real wife rather than someone's pleasure-companion, to be used and then discarded.

They were outside again, walking along the rooftop pathway that circled around the prison yard. At the moment, the general population was outside. The Fire Lord said he did not wish for his presence to be known, so the Warden had sent out no announcement. Zuko stared out at the yard, seeing the prisoners milling about. Some were exercising, others were simply talking or sitting around. Guards stood watch in the yard and up in the towers.

Katara's eyes were drawn to one corner of the yard, where a tall and broad-shouldered prisoner was simply strolling near the wall. He seemed to be simply minding his own business, walking around the yard for exercise. However, a couple of guards took notice of him. It was too far away for Katara to hear any conversation from the yard, but it seemed that the guards were making fun of him. One of them created an lash with Firebending, and struck the prisoner across the back with it. With such provocation, the prisoner whipped around, creating a whip of his own and lashing out at his tormentors.

These people were prisoners and in here to be punished, but Katara could see that the man had simply been taking a walk, leaving everyone else alone. The Warden saw it differently, however. He turned to one of his guards.

"Chit Sang has broken the rules again. Send him to the cooler."

"But he was provoked!" Katara exclaimed, unable to stop herself. The Warden blinked before he focused on her, his expression patient and almost condescending.

"Here we have rules, my lady. One of them being that prisoners with Bending ability are not allowed to Bend. This is for the safety of the guards and other prisoners."

Katara could see the logic in this rule, but still, the man had been provoked. She immediately saw a fatal flaw in that rule – prisoners could not defend themselves against cruelty and provocation. Before she could say anything, Zuko spoke.

"Chit Sang, you say? That was him?" The Fire Lord peered at the yard, focusing on the man who was now being handcuffed and led away. "Do not take him to the cooler!"

"...What?" The Warden stared at him in shock.

"Bring him up here." Zuko simply replied.

"Very well." The Warden bowed his head.

o0o0o0o

Chit Sang had been picked on often enough by the guards to know that he should not respond to them. He was usually able to ignore them, but Mao – nicknamed 'Bully Guard' by the prisoners because he was even more of an abusive bully than the other guards – was very good at provoking Chit Sang or any of the other prisoners, and his position as guard gave him an unfair leverage when it came to the rules and punishment. This was often enough to keep the prisoners silent when they were being made fun of or pushed around, but the guards loved getting reactions, and Mao was more aggressive than most.

But instead of being taken to the cooler, Chit Sang was surprised to be led up the stairs. He blinked when the sunlight flooded his vision, and obediently let himself be led forward. If the Warden had a new sort of punishment devised for him, there wasn't much he could do about it. He saw the Warden, his dark lips twisted into a frown. There were guards, but some of them were not dressed in the uniform of those who worked at the Boiling Rock.

When he noted the armor of those not working at the Boiling Rock, he was startled to see a nobleman in a robe that probably would have cost a guard here an year's salary. His eyes moved up the body, seeing the scarred face and the...

Was that the nine-pointed Imperial Flame pinned into this man's hair. That could only mean...

He was so shocked that he almost did not register the presence of the dark-skinned woman at his side. He clumsily bowed his head, doing the best he could with his wrist shackles and the guards restraining him.

"Let him go!" the Fire Lord stated. The Warden looked at him with shock.

"But my lord, he is violent..."

"I said, let him go!" The Fire Lord's words were directed at the guards. Slowly, they released him, and Chit Sang stood where he was. With a wave of his hand, the ruler of the Fire Nation beckoned him closer. Chit Sang took several tentative steps, stopping a respectful distance from the Fire Lord.

"I read about you, Chit Sang." Zuko said calmly. Anyone who spoke out against the War or refused to allow themselves to be conscripted into the military were seen as traitors, and Chit Sang had done both.

"I have no illusions about what you read." Chit Sang replied quietly.

"One should never delude himself." the Fire Lord replied. His voice was calm and neutral, and Chit Sang was surprised to detect no note of hostility or condescension. Truth be told, he had no idea what to expect. Being a prisoner kept most news out of his earshot – the same was true for all of the prisoners. Official declarations, such as the death of the former Fire Lord – was given to the prisoners, but rumors and the like were jealously guarded by the ones who kept watch over the prisoners. The guards usually spent month-long shifts on the island, so there was a high demand for news and gossip from new arrivals.

"That was rather brave of you, refusing to go on the Siege of the North."

Chit Sang let out a quiet sigh. His father had been a soldier, and his mother... well, she was unwilling, to say the least. Ever since he was little, he had hated the army for the pain it caused his mother. His father had expected him to follow in his footsteps, but the bloodshed went against every moral fiber of his being. And Commander Zhao had been all too eager to try to force him to join the army, and when that didn't work...

"...Thank you, my lord." he replied hesitantly, unsure of whether the Fire Lord was being genuine or sarcastic. His aloof tone was hard to read, and his eyes flicked over to the woman. Her eyes were startlingly blue, much like his mother's...

"Do you know that the War has ended?" Zuko asked. Chit Sang nodded slowly. That had been one bit of news that had been shared with the prisoners. The woman lightly touched the Fire Lord's sleeve before she whispered into his ear. Chit Sang blinked when the Fire Lord looked at him closely, interest in his eyes. The prisoner looked down instinctively.

"Look at me." Zuko ordered. Chit Sang looked back up, meeting the Fire Lord's eyes. After a moment, Zuko nodded slowly, glancing at his Consort.

"As Fire Lord, I value honor above all in my subjects. I ended the War because there was no honor to it."

Chit Sang's heart thudded within his chest. Was the Fire Lord implying what he thought...?

"Unshackle him." Chit Sang could hardly believe his ears when these words came out of the Fire Lord's mouth, and he lifted his hands, feeling the weight of the cuffs come off with a soft click.

"Prison is not a place for people with honor."

"You have my undying gratitude." Chit Sang whispered, feeling almost faint. He had yearned for freedom for so long, and had feared that he would spend the rest of his life in the Boiling Rock. "How can I ever repay you, my lord?"

"I only ask for your loyalty. And the loyalty of everybody who was placed in this prison for upholding their honor."

Chit Sang's mind raced with this statement. There were so many people in the general population whose only crime had been not wishing to participate in the War or speak out against certain practices such as using prisoners of war as slaves.

"What?" The Warden glanced from the newly-freed man to the Fire Lord.

"You heard me, Warden. Do you have any objections?"

"...No, my lord."

"Very good." The Fire Lord looked back at Chit Sang. "You would know the prisoners here better than me." He glanced at the Warden. "I hold you personally responsible for this man's safety and welfare. When I am not here, you will give him full access to the records and prisoners, namely those who were placed here for being dissidents. If anything happens to Chit Sang, the consequences for you and your guards will be very dire." The Fire Lord thought briefly of Kougyo and the rest of the noblemen sent here. They were not part of the general population, sentenced to solitary confinement for the rest of their lives, with a pardon or change of punishment from the Fire Lord himself their only hope of escaping the small cells they were now confined to.

"Would you like to be the Warden?" the Fire Lord asked. The Warden sputtered as he heard this question directed at Chit Sang, and the prison guards murmured in shock.

"To be honest, no. I've spent nearly ten years here, and I just want out. I'll be happy to help you sort out the prisoners and decide who should be freed, but after that..." he shook his head.

"I understand." Zuko glanced at the Warden. "You should thank Chit Sang for allowing you to keep your position."

The Warden bowed his head, murmuring a thank-you. Had Zhao and his men been correct in trying to establish a Regency? The Fire Lord was awfully young, after all... No. What was done was done. He still had his job, and he didn't want to follow the path of Zhao or his ilk.

"For as long as you're here, you're deputy Warden. You will receive the same honor and respect that is afforded to him..." Zuko gestured at the Warden, "And if you do not, they will be dealt with harshly."

"Thank you, my lord." Chit Sang bowed deeply.

"What are you waiting for? You heard me. Now get him some nice clothes." the Fire Lord barked at the prison guards. They all scrambled, two bumping into one another before the pair left.

"Your prison appears clean and well-run." Zuko started as he looked at the Warden. The prisoners outside did not look abused or starved, which was a good sign. "However, I want to make it clear that I do not condone torture, and I saw what he..." Zuko pointed to Mao, "did to Chit Sang. You have a rule that does not allow the prisoners to defend themselves against abuse." His tone was acid, and Chit Sang took private delight in seeing the Warden and the Bully Guard squirming under the Fire Lord's scrutiny.

"Harassing the prisoners is something I will not tolerate, either." Zuko glanced at Chit Sang thoughtfully. He didn't want to be here permanently, but he had knowledge of the Boiling Rock. Perhaps a small committee could be established, made up of Chit Sang and a few other people, who could act for the prison much as Zuko's own Council presided over courtly matters. Yes, there was an idea to work with...

"I'll leave it up to Chit Sang to decide whether you should be allowed to remain here." Zuko said, directing this statement at Mao. Chit Sang could not help but coldly smirk at the Bully Guard over his shoulder, enjoying Mao's discomfiture.

o0o0o0o

The Fire Lord wished to speak to the newly-freed prisoner, so the Warden and his men cleared the walkway, leaving the royal couple alone with their own Imperial Guards. Katara had whispered to him about the color of Chit Sang's eyes. Zuko hadn't really noticed before, thinking at first that they were just gray. But upon closer inspection, he was surprised to note that they were actually blue. Certainly not the same vivid azure of his beloved Consort's eyes, but there was no denying there was blue in this Firebender's eyes.

"Do you have any Water in you?" the Fire Lord asked. Chit Sang blinked, unsure whether he had indeed heard that.

"Please forgive me, my lord, but could you say that again?"

"Do you have any ancestors who are Water Tribe?" he clarified. Chit Sang took a deep breath before he nodded.

"Yes. My mother... she was from the Water Tribe."

"Is that why you refused to go to the North?"

"Yes. She was... captured by my father. Captivity did not suit her well. She missed her home, and my father was in the army, so I had some training. But I just couldn't fight. I didn't like the bloodshed and the capture and exploitation of prisoners and..." He shook his head. "I just felt disgusted by it all."

"Where's your mother?" the Consort asked. Chit Sang looked down quietly.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Her voice was filled with genuine regret. He looked up to see warmth and kindness in her eyes.

"I passed a law that forbids raiding of the Water Tribes. We are now allied with the Southern Water Tribe now." the Fire Lord explained.

Chit Sang blinked and smiled. "That's good to know."

"I share that sentiment." Katara smiled at him. Today had started out so shitty, and now he was on top of the world. He could not help but smile back.

o0o0o0o

Katara lay on a padded mat with a towel draped over her rear end, being massaged by Lan. It was satisfying to feel the other woman's fingers press into her muscles and her palms slide across her flesh. She had to admit, it was nice having a masseuse. She had had a rigorous session today with Iroh, and after that she had tea with him before retiring and taking a nice soak, and then afterward, here was this enjoyable massage.

Despite her reluctance to have an attendant at first, she had come to grow used to it and see the positive side of it. Hana was an excellent attendant, and since she had been raised as a noblewoman, she knew all about etiquette. Back when she was living on the ship, Iroh had indeed taught her the rules of the Fire Nation to prepare her for life in Sozun, but he had only had enough time to teach her the more important things. Hana helped her with the minutiae of being a noblewoman and always cheerfully answered Katara's questions. And her personal servants were also pleasant.

Even though Katara insisted on doing things for herself such as bathing or dressing, she did enjoy the pampering she received from the servants and was especially fond of being given a massage after one of her training sessions. The former concubines of Ozai who had chosen to stay in the Palace rather than return to the families who had sold them to Ozai became part of the staff that served her. Here in the Palace, they had more freedom than they ever did with their families, and were earning their own wages. She could see the happiness in their faces as they spoke of how much they liked it better here.

She closed her eyes and whispered a few encouraging words to her attendant as the hands slid down to her legs. Lan smiled and did as she asked.

After a few moments, the Fire Lord strode in, his presence signified by the greeting of the maidservant. Katara looked up at him curiously. He looked a bit worn but he also looked excited – probably for tonight. Since he was now the Fire Lord, he had changed a few things in the Festival's itinerary to make it a more positive and fun event instead of simply celebrating Sozin's Comet and the demise of the rest of the world.

"Greetings, my lord." Katara said as she looked up at him. He smiled down at her fondly.

"It's time for you to start getting ready for the Festival. I will be in the city, and you will leave the Palace with Iroh and come and meet me. Did you already choose an outfit?" he asked. She nodded, pointing to where the robe she had chosen was draped on the side of the divan.

Zuko walked over to it and looked at it before frowning a bit. She had chosen one of the simpler red silk robes, and he wanted her to wear something more grand for a wonderful occasion.

The Fire Lord strode over to her wardrobe and rifled through the clothes until he found a robe he felt more appropriate for her. It was a dark red color around the middle and shoulders of the robe, but as it went along to the wrists and hem it became a brilliant gold due to the fabric being dyed with an umbra effect. In threads of all shades of red and gold were sewn dragons and phoenixes. It was a masterpiece, and he wanted to see her in it.

"This is the robe you will wear." Zuko stated simply. Katara stiffened when she saw what he had picked.

"It's a lovely robe but I already picked out a robe that is more to my tastes." Katara pleaded softly, but the Fire Lord shook his head.

"This is what you will wear, Katara." he said in a tone that brooked no argument. He looked at Lan for a moment.

"And you will help her choose out all the appropriate accessories for the robe and prepare her. Spare no effort. Afterward, you may go out and celebrate in the Festival."

"Yes, my lord." Hana said with a bow.

Zuko nodded and walked over to Katara, stroking her hair for a moment.

"I will see you tonight." he stated as he turned around and left. Lan ended the massage with a gentle rubdown before leaving her mistress and coming back with some underwear and a burgundy silk under-robe.

Katara quickly got dressed as Hana went to her vanity to choose out an appropriate sash for her robe as well as jewelry for her hair. When she had finished binding her breasts and donned the robe, her maid had everything laid out, including all the extras such as a fan and handkerchiefs. Hana had been summoned to help with the preparation.

First on the list of things to do was her hair. Katara sat there, looking at the mirror as Lan brushed out her hair before placing it in two braids which she wound together into a elegant-looking bun near the top of her head. Next came the requisite fire comb – a rather ornately designed one compared to the simpler ones she usually wore – as well as adding in a few ruby-tipped hairpins.

After checking to make sure every hair was in place and pinned back, she applied just a bit of rouge on her cheeks and a bit of red juice on her lips. Kohl was put around her eyes, emphasizing their blueness.

After she put on the formal robe, she raised her arms, letting Hana and Lan wrap a golden sash around her middle before tying a red silk cord around the sash, and she slipped her fan and other accessories into the sash.

The Water Tribe woman looked in the mirror, holding back a soft sigh. She could see nothing of her old self in this outfit except for the stone that hung around her neck. Her hand traveled up to feel the smooth stone, thinking of her mother. What would she say if she saw her daughter bedecked in this outfit, as well as being lover and companion to the Fire Lord?

Her hands went up to the chain, undoing it before she slowly slid it off her neck and slipped it into one of the drawers of her vanity. She then stood in front of the full-length mirror, inspecting her appearance as her attendants watched, waiting for her next command.

They stood there quietly, admiring their mistress. Lan offered her a small smile. Hana stared at Katara serenely, admiring the way the Water Tribe woman looked.

She liked her new position here much better than her old one. She wished her brother could have cared more about her. She hated him for putting her here under a abusive master. At first, she had been flattered to have been noticed by the Fire Lord, but that first night with him, she already knew something was wrong by the way he looked at her and the way he had taken her.

Hana had already been unhappy at home, since her only company was her governess and servants, and these had been hired by Zhao. They had treated her civilly but there was no warmth between them. And she had not been allowed to leave the estate, and without friends, she had been so lonely. But when she had been here and part of Ozai's seraglio, she had actually found herself missing her old home, at least there no one had actually abused her.

The only thing that had kept her sanity here in the Palace was the companionship of her fellow kept women. For the first time she was living with people that were… for lack of a better term, her equals. Back at her father's estate, she had never had any real friends or people around her age to spend time around. Despite the cruel master they had, Hana and the other women of the harem had found solace in each other's company and when not serving Ozai would spend time with each other. This would make them feel better and once in a while, when one of the women had been particularly abused, the others would tend to her.

She had considered leaving right after Ozai had died, but staying here at Katara's side had provided her with an opportunity. Here, for the first time Hana had freedom, real freedom. Her decisions were her own to make, and she chose to serve Katara. At first it was because of the kindness that the Water Tribe woman had shown her before and the fact that she had no desire to go back home and live again under the control of her brother. But the more time she spent around her mistress, the more she liked Katara. Inside she always rejoiced when Katara showed a need for companionship and she was always glad to provide it, whether with playing a game, taking a walk, or simply chatting. And with her brother dead, Hana was now a lady in her own right – Lady Zhao.

It didn't matter that Katara was not Fire Nation – she treated Hana well and spoke to her nicely, even when asking for something or placing an order. Whenever Katara had a question about rules or etiquette among other things, she did not hesitate to help out her mistress and knew that the Water Tribe girl deemed her invaluable. Hana was honored to have the Katara's trust, which she knew she had and she was glad to return that trust and was loyal to Zuko's companion over everyone else, most of all her own brother.

Here she felt more self-worth than she had ever felt before. She was happy and that was what mattered. She had freedom and safety and she was earning her own money now – what she earned on top of the Zhao estate and wealth that was now hers. And she was valuable to the Royal Consort. She made connections with the servants as did the other former concubines and in this way she would gather information for Katara, especially because she knew a wall still existed between Katara and many of the servants because of her heritage. She also knew that the Fire Lord was pleased with her performance thus far and though Katara didn't know it, she would sometimes report to him.

Lan Yu was the youngest daughter in a large brood, and as such, did not have much value to her father. She was also the child of her father's fifth concubine, and certainly couldn't expect as good of a marriage as her eldest sister. When the Fire Lord had put out a notice saying he was looking for new concubines for his harem, she had been submitted as an candidate. She hadn't expected to be picked, and as she stood before the Fire Lord, she had been riveted to the spot by his intense glare. When she received the notice that she had been chosen, she had considered it an honor at first. Being a concubine to the Fire Lord should be an immense honor, and was better than being a concubine to some lesser noble. But like Hana, her illusions had been stripped away on her first night with her new master.

If she returned to her father, her prospects would be no better than they had before. She was no longer virgin, and could hardly expect a good marriage. Lan Yu knew that she was much better off here, and like Hana, enjoyed her independence.

Katara stood in front of the mirror, checking her appearance one last time before nodding.

"You did a very good job." she stated, although the attendants didn't miss the slight tinge of sadness in her voice. Hana held back a soft sigh. She knew Katara missed her home and felt out of place here, and even though she tried her best to make her mistress happy, a trace of that sadness lingered. The dark-skinned girl looked different without the necklace and Hana knew it had belonged to her mother. She missed her own mother too and could sympathize with her lady.

"It honors me to be of service to you." Hana said with a bow. Lan also bowed. Katara cracked the barest of smiles. Just as she did, there was a gentle knock on the door.

"Hello, is anyone in there? May I come in?" Iroh called out cheerfully. The trio of women turned towards the sitting room.

"Come on in, I was just getting finished." Katara called out. Iroh entered with a smile on his face. He had on scarlet robes that looked very comfortable and his face practically beamed happiness. He looked almost as giddy as a little boy, and Katara could not help but be buoyed a little.

"Who's ready for the festival?" Iroh asked, maintaining his smile. Hana and Lan could not help but smile too. Iroh's joy was infectious and Katara felt her spirits being lifted up a little more.

The Dragon of the West gazed at Katara for a few moments.

"My, you look so lovely! Any man would be pleased to have you on his arm!" the old Firebender chuckled softly, clearly meaning this in a friendly way. However, Katara had to force a smile, for she could not help but think of all the Fire Nation men out there.

Iroh then noticed Hana and Lan standing aside.

"I do hope you will go out and celebrate the Festival instead of hiding in the Palace!" he teased, and Lan blushed a little.

"We will." Hana said with a shy smile.

"Shall we?" Iroh asked, holding out a welcoming hand. Katara nodded and together they left the suite. As was the usual, guards took up positions and accompanied her and Iroh. She had a rough idea of the itinerary for tonight and knew dinner was first on the list.

Outside, a sedan waited for them, with red curtains for privacy and pulled by a pair of Komodo rhinos. Iroh quickly approached the sedan and took her hand, helping her up into it like a true gentleman would before he climbed in after her.

As soon as the group of guards surrounded the sedan, the driver urged the rhino forward and the gates of the Palace City opened, letting them out into the city.

She peeked through the curtain curiously, gazing at the sights that surrounded them. She saw the guards that surrounded the sedan, and there was no one else around at first, but as they moved closer to the downtown part of the city, she saw more and more people. Some were wearing masks or dressed up in festive outfits, and she could see stalls selling all kinds of wares from masks to sparklers to treats. The laughter of children and the sounds of various musical instruments, although muffled by the curtains, made their way to her ears.

After a while, she closed the curtain and reclined back in her seat, falling into thought. She wondered if she would ever fit into this city or be really able to participate in life here, and she felt a sudden yearning to be out of here, away from it all. She missed her father and brother, and wanted to see her village.

As he sat there, Iroh watched Katara quietly, and he could see her turmoil. The poor girl had indeed been through a lot, and then to be thrust into a completely new and unfamiliar place... He had done his best to help her. He was there to listen to her, he gave her lessons, he had taught her the most important things about Fire Nation culture. She had never done anything wrong, not even under Ozai's critical eye. But none of that mattered, since he knew she missed what she had left behind, what had been taken from her.

It wasn't as if Zuko had done this to her to be mean. The Fire Lord did need her, and Iroh could see that. But he was not sure if Zuko was as aware of Katara's unhappiness as he himself was. He was so preoccupied with his duties and assuming his responsibilities and trying to make sure he was a good ruler, and while that was admirable, he did tend to forget other things, and it was easy now because he was new at it. Hopefully later on, when he was more confident in his duties, he would find more of a balance between the needs of the Nation and his own as well as those he cared about.

Iroh watched for a few moments as she took her fan out of her sleeve and idly fiddled around with it. He could almost read Katara's mind… she was probably thinking, _Why am I part of this?_

"Katara?" he asked gently, pulling the girl out of her thoughts.

"Hmm?"

"Everything will be fine." he said, giving her a smile he hoped would cheer her up. She said nothing and peeked through the curtain for a moment before closing it.

Katara sat there silently for a few moments before she felt a large hand on her own and looked up at him.

"He cares for you very much, and he wants you to be happy, and so do I. You know I am here for you." he said with another smile. This time she responded with a small smile of her own.

"Everything will be fine. Just give it time." Iroh reassured her. She nodded.

The sedan came to a stop and she emerged, smelling the ocean and seeing a rather nice building which obviously belonged to a nobleman. It was also one of the posh seaside estates located along the harbor, and she wished she could live in one of these where she could always go to the ocean instead of having a thick volcano wall and city her from the shore. A wall separated the property from the city, but it was nowhere near as large or thick as the Palace walls, and surrounding the large house were gardens and a few smaller buildings. A guard approached the sedan and bowed to her and the general.

"We have been expecting you, please follow us." the guard asked. Iroh and Katara nodded, their own guards accompanying them.

The inside of the house was filled with expensive things, but nowhere near the elegance of the Palace. Nonetheless, she did enjoy glancing at the paintings on the walls as they ascended the stairs.

She blinked when she came to the flat rooftop, seeing a table set up and around it, quite a few men – most of them already familiar to her – a couple of women, and the Fire Lord himself. Around the low walls that surrounded the rooftop were flowers and a few bonsai trees, and she envied the people who lived here. Here was one thing the Palace didn't have – from the rooftop she could see the ocean up close, and it was a beautiful view.

There were several servants milling about, and she noticed food on a couple of smaller tables as well as a hibachi, and she held back a smile. It was already obvious this would not be a stuffy and formal dinner, although just how much would depend on the people at the main table.

Iroh gently nudged her along and they approached the table. She could see the eyes of everyone fixing on them and stood tall, keeping her shoulders square and her arms folded neatly in front of her in her sleeves and she kept her eyes slightly down in the way she had been taught.

She noticed only two seats were empty, one on either side of the Fire Lord, so she and Iroh were the last, but by the calm expressions of everyone else here, she could tell that they had not been waiting very long. As she approached the table, she bowed and greeted the Fire Lord first with the correct honorific in the proper manner, before he motioned her to be seated.

"Sit here between me and Chit Sang." he instructed and they took their seats. Immediately, servants milled around, setting down food and plates, although everyone waited for Zuko to take the first bite.

Subtly, she glanced around the table. Here were some unfamiliar faces but also some familiar ones. Admiral Jee was here and so was Kamas. There were a few others she had seen during the receptions or in passing as they went about on Courtly business..

It seemed to her that Zuko had picked out these people personally, for as she heard the names during the conversation, she remembered them from things Zuko had told her before, people that he liked and would be a real asset to what he wanted to do for Fire Nation. The absence of people she knew that Zuko disliked made her feel more comfortable, and these people didn't seem so threatening. Some of them looked at her curiously but none of them had the cold condescension or distaste on their faces that had been usual for Ozai and those who had followed him. The few women that sat at the table did not bear the make-up of concubines, and she was surprised and pleased to see Ty Lee among that number.

Katara remained silent most of the time as she listened to the conversation, eating her food carefully and watching herself as she knew that others were watching her. She wished she knew exactly what they thought of her. She knew she was in an enviable position, and some of these people had to have female relatives of suitable age to be a concubine for the Fire Lord. There was no doubt that everywhere in Sozun, there were men hoping to gain favor with the Fire Lord through their female relatives and they thought it looked good for them as she was the only woman in Zuko's harem and to their thinking, the Fire Lord certainly would want more.

Distantly in the sky, the comet was visible to those with telescopes and she herself had glanced at it this morning with Zuko. To the naked eye it seemed to be a star in the sky, shining just a little more brightly than others. By the end of summer, it would be very much visible to the naked eye, tail and all.

"Good to see you again." Katara whispered, turning to Chit Sang. He was a rather handsome sight in his new robes.

"The Fire Lord personally invited me. It feels so good to be here. I've not seen flowers for such a long time..."

"Oh, you should come to the Palace City, then. You'll love the gardens."

"Count on it."

She heard the popping of firecrackers from beyond the estate and a few small fireworks were shot up into the air amidst whooping and cheering. It was starting to get dark, and the sun was slowly sinking just beyond the hills in the west.

When dinner was done, the Fire Lord rose from his seat and everyone looked up at him to see what he would say.

"Let us extend a thank you for Jin Hisaki for so graciously hosting this dinner." he stated, gesturing to a dignified-looking nobleman that sat several seats away. Everyone else nodded and a few smiled a little as they clapped.

Fire Lord Zuko liked this dinner a lot more than these formal receptions in the Palace. It was much more pleasant to eat out in the open air and among people he was more comfortable with, and he told himself this would not be the last time he did it. The atmosphere had been open and friendly, and the people around the table were obviously satisfied. It certainly felt nice to get away from the formalities of the Palace and there was no doubt Katara felt the same. He intended for her to have a fun night out.

People had continued to launch small fireworks and play with firecrackers, and there had been various forms of entertainment situated throughout the city… jugglers, small plays, puppet shows, and magicians among other things.

Katara could not help but recall that day she and Sokka and Aang had gone to the Fire Days Festival and the fun they had had, at least until they had been caught. But here there existed a wall between her and the rest of the populace. She and the Fire Lord remained under heavy guard to keep the crowds at their distance as they rode in their sedan. Iroh had gone out after supper on his own to celebrate and have fun.

Katara enjoyed seeing the various forms of entertainment, and when she looked over at the Fire Lord she noticed the barest hint of a smile on his face. He turned to look at her.

"The best is yet to come." he promised. She nodded, wondering what was in store.

A large platform had been set up and decorated lavishly. She glanced over at it curiously then back at him.

"You're going to like this, Katara." Zuko whispered with a small smirk. She glanced over at him curiously as the sedan was carried a short distance from the platform and raised up in an area obviously set aside for the Fire Lord and his retinue. They were served chilled wine and treats.

The crowds started to form for whatever entertainment was coming, and she realized she could see well over their heads. The crowd thickened even more and she noticed that some of the stalls were now empty – which had to mean that this entertainment really was going to be special.

Zuko smirked a little as he watched her take all of this in with her curious and alert eyes. He was looking forward to this and had specifically requested this kind of entertainment, sending out a notice throughout the main island and the neighboring islands as soon as he could, to bring in the people needed for this. Ozai had scheduled it to be a brief performance, as much of the old itinerary had been geared towards propaganda. Zuko had changed it so it would last a lot longer, and it would be more fun to listen to than speeches about the war or the Fire Nation's victory.

The crowd chattered excitedly as a couple came onto the stage. The man was dressed in pants that looked similar to Agni Kai pants, and he wore nothing else except for armbands. The female wore a red sash around her breasts and middle and loose pants similar to her partner's, and her hair was pulled back in a long and sleek braid.

Katara had come to recognize the sound of a Tsungi horn from Music Nights on the ship, and she heard it being played amongst other instruments as the couple on the stage moved forward slowly.

Zuko reclined back and watched the dancers move slowly at first, their movements in tune with the languorous music. His mother had taken him to these quite a few times when he was younger, and he had always loved it. He remembered sitting in her lap and watching the dancers move in a frenzy amidst the fire they formed with their bending abilities and the cheers of the crowd as they performed spectacular feats with the fire.

After his mother had died, his uncle would take him to the shows. But that became less and less frequent as he grew older. He had not seen an Agni Odori since long before his banishment. His sire had not had much respect for those who performed, as he felt their skills were better used in the military rather than performing 'party tricks' as he had so disdainfully called them once when his uncle had suggested taking the Prince to one for his tenth birthday.

As the music increased its beat, the dancers started moving around more fervently and using their Bending abilities to summon small fires at first. This rapidly escalated into impressive displays of fire as the man and woman moved around each other and the crowds oohed and ahhed as the music increased its tempo even more as the partners moved about wildly.

The Fire Lord allowed himself to smile as he turned his head to see how Katara was taking it. She was watching the performance with rapt fascination, and he smiled more widely.

"Exhilarating, isn't it?" he asked quietly. She nodded as she took a sip of her wine.

"I always liked watching the Agni Odori dances when I was younger and I enjoy them as much as ever. I'm glad you do too." he said softly. She shot him a smile.

It was fascinating for her to watch the performance and what the dancers did with their fire. They were very skilled, as they did not burn themselves once even though it seemed as if they would several times, and the fires did not threaten the crowds either.

She found this more thrilling than the other performances she had witnessed before. There had been one at the Palace during one of Ozai's receptions – a play – and she had hated every minute of it. It was about the Fire Nation winning over the other nations and for her, it had been positively horrid to see and it had mocked the other nations. The man who played Sozin staged a slaughter against the Air Nomads, who were depicted as silly men in bright orange robes, and the Fire Lord easily befell them with a burst of fire.

The Water Tribes had been portrayed as savages, and they did not even form coherent words, the men who played them merely grunted and growled and waved about spears before they themselves were 'slain'. After that a 'fireball' hung in the sky, created with red and yellow paint as well as multicolored pieces of glass to make it sparkle and 'Ozai' staged the defeat of the Earth Kingdom who were portrayed as filthy and backwards brutes. The nobles laughed and cheered after the performance was over and she clapped as well though inside she felt her gut wrench. How could these people find this amusing? The Air Nomads and the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom were nothing like that! And there was nothing at all entertaining about genocide.

Ozai had shot her a cruel smirk and asked her what she thought of it. Naturally, she could not give him her honest opinion and instead gave a reply that pleased him. He had commented to the nobles around him that see, the Fire Nation was good for the world because the little 'barbarian' girl had been taught manners and how to be a proper lady!

How she had longed to smack him for that and give him a piece of her mind, but she had swallowed her anger and kept her head bowed. Even the public execution of Shi-Ryuu had been a better spectacle than that terrible play.

There was nothing like that in this performance. It was simply a celebration of fire and of life, a way to honor the joys and positive aspects of the element itself.

She was impressed by the displays of fire and the obvious skills of the dancers in both their bending and their dancing. Frankly, it was a beautiful thing to watch and she could not help but be curious as to how it would look if the performers were Waterbenders or even Earthbenders or Airbenders.

Zuko sat there with a small smirk as he watched the dancers, imagining him and Katara in their place, and he found the mental image arousing. There was indeed a sinuous way the dancers moved that could be termed as erotic, especially with the fire added into it.

His hand slowly slid to Katara's knee, feeling it under the silk of her robe. He rubbed it slowly, slyly glancing over at her in the corner of her eye. He felt her shift just slightly as she glanced over at him, and he could see a small twinkle in her eye as she finished her goblet of wine.

"And what are you doing?" she whispered. He simply smirked back at her, rubbing her knee a bit before his hand inched along her thigh. She chuckled softly and held out her goblet to be refilled before she turned her attention back to the dancers, watching as their dance came to a stop, feeling slightly disappointed. But this discontent only lasted for a moment as a new pair of dancers came onto stage and the music resumed. His hand continued rubbing her thigh gently but she ignored it, vowing to not let him win, although she was amused and she _did_ enjoy it. The new dancers performed with a similar level of skill if not better, and his hand squeezed a little.

"Shoo." Katara teased, trying to push his hand away a little even as she felt a blush creep across her cheeks.

He smirked a little more as he noticed her reaction. She was enjoying this performance as much as he was and he could see she was affected by it.

Water was calm and soothing, air was light and playful, earth was steady and firm, but fire? Fire was hot and passionate and that was the nature of the dance. The dance was meant to inspire and to inflame, and he knew she was feeling it as he was.

A third pair of dancers came on and several vendors moved through the crowds, offering refreshments and treats.

When the third set of dancers were done, the other two came back onto the stage, and the six performers put on a short but brilliant performance with their combined Firebending and Katara was literally stunned by the sight. Zuko noted her reaction and smiled as he saw the delight in her eyes. She deserved to be happy, and to be able to enjoy herself here.

When the dancers slowed down and the performance came to its end, he nodded approvingly to the stage, clapping for them. They smiled and bowed to him. They were very skilled, and he was pleased with the performance – he would speak with them later and encourage them to do more. Having them perform at the Palace would provide suitable entertainment as well.

The fun was not over for the night, however. The fireworks that had been set off earlier were nothing compared to what was to come. He had sent Iroh out to speak with the chemists and the firework distributors to arrange a special performance, and it was about to commence. After a short break where the crowds broke and milled about, chatting excitedly and then calming down a little, he nodded to Lieutenant Makoto, the leader of the guards that watched over him and Katara. Makoto raised his fist into the sky, shooting out a long burst of flame, which apparently was a signal.

"Look over at the ocean, Katara." Zuko whispered and nodded his head. From where they were positioned, they had an unobstructed view of the water and she squinted her eyes. Most of the Fire Navy ships were docked, but there were a few out a short distance in the sea.

She gasped softly when a burst of gold sailed up into the sky before exploding into a impressive red and gold star. The crowd cheered, many of them turning their attention to the sky.

More and more of these shot up into the sky in all different kinds of colors, and she watched with the amazement and wonder of a child. She forgot all of her troubles and what she had been through during the Agni Odori, and this continued as the fireworks burst into the sky.

Sometimes, simply one would go up into the sky, and other times, several would be fired off at a time or one after the other in a certain sequence, and it was clear that the fireworks had been planned out. Her cup was refilled again and she sipped at it between the bursts of color in the sky and the ooh's and ahh's of the crowds.

There was one final firework display saved for the end, and when it burst, she could see all the colors of the rainbow in it as several rockets were shot up. Each rocket burst and gave out all these colors in several long and loud explosions amidst the yells and cheering of the people before the light faded away into nothingness. She sat back, stunned by all that had gone on and feeling a little overwhelmed and dizzy.

Zuko simply sat there quietly for a few moments before someone called out a toast to him and he looked up, nodding in acknowledgment. Soon enough, there were more cheers for him and clapping. Katara heard a soft chuckle, looking up to see Iroh and Hana approach them as the guards gave them leeway. Zuko glanced at them curiously, and they both looked happy.

"You have given these people something to really celebrate!" Iroh said with a amused smile as he listened to the cheering and the chattering of the crowds. A large paper-mache head of Agni emerged, attached to a long red cloth 'body' decorated with gold paint. Several pairs of feet moved under the 'dragon', slithering through the crowd and eliciting laughter and ooh's as it breathed fire through its mouth.

Katara finished her wine and set down the goblet, feeling light headed as she let out a yawn. Zuko himself was feeling tired, as he had had a long day and the main entertainment was done for the night. There would be smaller performances and fireworks, and the people would continue celebrating until morning, and that was just fine with him. He wanted everybody to have a good time. He could see that Katara had too much to drink, since she was clearly trying to keep her head up.

"I believe I will retire for the night. I have had a very long day. Do you plan to stay out?" he asked his uncle. Iroh chuckled and nodded

"But of course! Some of my old friends have invited me to go with them to play some Pai Sho! And have some drinks!" he said cheerfully. Zuko smirked a little.

"Very well then, go and have fun." the Fire Lord nodded. Iroh waved to them cheerfully before he turned and left them.

He signaled to his guards as he led Katara back to their waiting sedan, encasing them in almost complete darkness. He heard her moan softly and he wrapped his arms around her, helping her to recline as he propped a cushion under her head.

"You're going to have one hell of a hangover." Zuko whispered. He heard her blow a soft raspberry.

As they made their way back to the royal bedchamber, he dismissed the servants before he locked the door. He set his consort down on the bed and helped her out of her clothing, sliding the robe off her body and tossing it over a chair. His hands were nimble as he removed her slippers and jewelry, leaving her in a white slip and matching underwear. Her body was pliant as he eased her down, laying her head on a pillow.

He undressed himself, stripping down to his underwear and tossing his fancy robe and pants across the chair before climbing into bed, an handsome sight even through Katara's half-lidded eyes as he settled down in his side of the bed.

Zuko placed a light kiss on the side of her neck before deciding to give her a few more, nuzzling her as he did so. She moaned out his name softly, wiggling a bit.

Despite his loving attention, he was asleep after just a few minutes, which suited her fine because she didn't think she could handle his passion at this moment, tired from the combination of a long day and several goblets of wine. She listened to his quiet breathing, reaching out to lightly rumple and stroke his soft and thick hair before she surrendered to sleep. Not even the distant popping of fireworks could disturb them.


	36. Mine

**Hot Water**

Chapter XXXV – Mine

Well, folks, this is the last regular chapter of Hot Water. I hope you have enjoyed the ride so far. Still coming up is the Epilogue and a bonus scene that will be included in the epilogue chapter. Feedback and reviews are always welcome and very much needed and appreciated!

o0o0o0o

Spending a night out drinking and gambling and playing Pai Sho had made Iroh feel younger for a few hours, even though the men around him were as aged as he. He had gone out often enough when he was a young Prince, not even twenty years old. He sneaked out of the Palace to escape the intricacies and rituals of Court life. Even now, it was a welcome diversion.

He had been raised to be Fire Lord. It seemed to be a given fact, a destiny as unchangeable as the rising and setting of the sun every day. But he could honestly say that he was happy he did not sit on the Dragon Throne. He loved his Nation and would serve it faithfully, but being Fire Lord wasn't the best way for him to utilize his talents. And Zuko had won the throne in his own right and would usher in an era of peace.

He stepped out of the sedan and approached the Palace doors, admitted quietly and efficiently as a servant came forward to see if there was anything he needed. His only request was a pot of tea. He could make his own tea as he retired for the night, and had a new tea that he was eager to try.

His bedchamber welcomed him with a familiarity known since childhood. It was the one he had grown up in, and it was more than spacious enough for him, given that it had once housed Zuko and the former Azure Concubine. There had been other rooms to choose from, some larger than this one, but he liked this apartment the best. It also had a beautiful view, uncluttered by the buildings that clustered in so many parts of the Palace City.

Lighting several lamps, he walked over to the balcony, taking a deep breath as his eyes studied the landscaped gardens and courtyards. The knock on his door signaled the presence of the servant with the water he requested, and after Lord Iroh's command, the door was opened. The pot and tray – which included a few things Iroh hadn't asked for – was quickly set on the table before the servant backed away and bowed his head.

"I will not be needing anything else. You are dismissed." Iroh said, nodding slightly. The servant bowed again and retreated, closing the door quickly and quietly. Iroh went to his chest and pulled out a small gilded box that held several packets or vials of tea leaves. He selected two of them and went about making tea. As it steeped, he changed into more comfortable clothing.

When he had been rummaging through his wardrobe for a old but favorite robe of his, he had gone through several lacquered boxes to locate the item. He found one of Ursa's old robes, a beautiful red satin gown with railing sleeves. It had a phoenix and fire pattern sewn along the throat and opening of the robe, wings spread out gracefully along the cut of the gown. He had several of his wife's favorites robes stored as well, and he sometimes felt guilty for holding onto a couple of Ursa's robes. One was now in Katara's possession, a gift from him. The other one was in his hands, his fingers tracing the phoenix pattern.

What would things have been like if Ursa had not died? Or Father? Doubtless the Great War would have raged on. If not for Ozai's cruel action towards his son, Sozin's dream would have been realized with terrible consequences. In his own thirst for power, Ozai sowed the seeds for his downfall. Would the presence of Azulon or even Ursa have prevented such a course of action? Ever since his father had died, Iroh questioned the circumstances of his death. The physician had given a flimsy excuse, that it was merely heart failure. But Iroh had always sensed something was wrong, and then when Ursa died so suddenly a couple of years later...

Ozai had acted the proper role of the respectful and mourning son and husband. Yet it had felt like nothing more than a facade to the older brother. No one mourned Ursa's death more than her son or brother-in-law. He had wanted to voice his suspicions for years, but as his brother grew in power, Iroh wondered if he would ever find the right time to ask such questions. Now his brother was dead, so he would never know. But he was relieved it was all over. He had learned to go with his instinct a long time ago, and knew he would not have such questions without reason.

Ursa would without a doubt be proud of her son for the peace he sought and for overcoming the tyranny of his father and great-grandfather. What would Azulon think of his grandson? Growing up, Iroh sensed that his father saw the war as more of a duty, not something he enjoyed doing but was obligated to due to the legacy Sozin had established.

It was useless to ponder such a question a century later, but what would everything have been like if Sozin didn't go to war? If he had simply been content with his victory over Chin the Second rather than seeking to actively conquer the Earth Kingdoms in retaliation and destroy the Air Nomads in search of the Avatar? He hoped that a hundred years wasn't too late to get the world back into elemental balance. Aang would need to make sure he was not the last Airbender before long. Did Sozin never stop to think about the consequences of genocide?

It was not uncommon for his mind to wander like this when he was by himself with a nice cup of tea. He was aware of the futility of such questions because what had happened, happened and there was no changing it. But it was interesting to ponder what might have been if any one event were to be changed.

Zuko and Katara had looked cute at the festival, relaxed and happy around one another and enjoying their surroundings. He knew it had been far too long since his nephew had been to a festival, and Agni knew the boy needed some fun now and then, especially with his duties as Fire Lord. It was not easy leading a normal life when one was royalty, much less Fire Lord, and not everyone could deal with it in a positive way. The power of the Dragon Throne had consumed his brother, and he would be damned if his nephew went down the same path, but Zuko had already proven himself different from his father in several important ways. Zuko was already proving himself to be an able and just ruler.

He glanced up at the wall, where he had several paintings. There was one of himself at a rather young age – had he really been just twenty and an only child so long ago? Another one was of his wife and himself, a wedding portrait. He remembered that day well, it had been rather hot but they had to sit there in their fancy wedding robes until the painter was finished. After the painting they had been rather eager to seek the cool refuge of their royal apartment and strip their heavy, ornate robes off their bodies, and _that_ had led to an enjoyable union under the welcoming shade and privacy of their canopied bed.

More paintings illustrated his family – one of Lien-yi with baby Lu Ten in her lap, another of the three of them together when Lu Ten was just five. There was one of him and Ozai when the younger brother was around seven or eight years old – the youngster had not liked sitting still for the painting – and another when Ozai had grown into manhood, standing next to his brother who looked more like his father due to the age gap. And part of his small collection was a painting of his own parents in their youth, Azulon with a full head and beard of jet-black hair and Aila's regal beauty captured by the artist who had done the painting. Iroh cherished every painting and treated them with care, keeping them in frames behind panes of glass, but one could still see the age in the older pictures.

He smiled wistfully as he glanced at the one of Ursa with baby Zuko in her lap. Ursa had become part of the family as Lien-yi was dying, and the time the women spent together was brief but happy. After Lien-yi died, he could not help but feel protective of Ursa, knowing that her husband did not truly love her. And then he had come to care deeply for Ursa. He knew he would have been a far better – and more considerate and respectful – husband to Ursa than Ozai had been. Ursa honestly deserved better than a man who merely saw her as a trophy, a beautiful wife of the proper pedigree who had delivered him a healthy male heir.

After Azulon died and Ozai became Fire Lord, he grew even more distant towards his wife, making no secret of his concubines. That had always bothered Iroh. He loved his wife and remained loyal to her even when she was dying. He couldn't imagine loving anyone else – or even simply lusting after someone else. His wife made him happy, what more did he need? After Lien-yi died, it seemed only natural that he should spend more time with his sister-in-law. Ursa was a good friend and did a fine job of consoling and comforting her brother-in-law. Ozai barely had any words to offer his grieving brother at Lien-yi's funeral and nothing afterward. He didn't seem to notice the time that Iroh and Ursa spent together, or if he did, he apparently didn't care.

Iroh never could understand why his younger brother was always so unhappy. He had the best in life and was offered every luxury, yet he only thirsted for more and more power, even after Father died. Her husband's unhappiness affected Ursa negatively and with their friendship, it seemed only inevitable that the older Prince get closer to his sister-in-law. Technically, he knew he was betraying his brother, but it was hard to not respond to Ursa's loneliness and need, especially when he himself was just as lonely if not more.

He genuinely cared for Ursa, and he also loved Zuko as if he were his own son, especially after Lu Ten died. And then it was Ursa's turn to comfort him. He let out a quiet sigh as he remembered a warm body cuddled up to his own, graceful fingers touching and stroking him, and quiet murmurs in his ear. Ozai would have been furious to find out – not because he loved Ursa, but because she was his woman, his property, to be touched only by him. It was a great risk, yes, but Iroh just couldn't allow someone he cared for to be so unhappy.

In the end, Iroh was confident that he did his best. He had accompanied his nephew in exile and after so many years of strife, bloodshed, and war, normalcy was within reach. He could see how happy Katara made the Fire Lord, and how much he cared for his Consort. Hopefully, soon enough he would hear the sound of little feet running through the hallways. Too bad that Lien-yi, Lu Ten, or Ursa were not around to enjoy this peace.

The Dragon of the West could not help but recall Katara's despondent expression during their ride the night before. He had initial concerns when Zuko had returned to the ship with his men and the captured Avatar in tow, along with the Water Tribe boy and girl. It was one thing to hold the Avatar captive, but why drag the others into it? But Zuko said that they would be used as insurance to assure the Avatar's compliance. That had sounded reasonable enough. But when he learned that Katara was being kept in Zuko's cabin...

Iroh had considered letting Sokka and Aang go while Zuko was otherwise occupied. But he saw how his nephew looked at the Waterbender and even though the youngsters wouldn't admit it, Iroh knew that they were growing closer, that Zuko genuinely cared about Katara and wanted to keep her safe. So he had subtly given Zuko the idea to free Sokka and Katara before they arrived in Fire Nation. At least Zuko let Sokka go. He didn't entirely approve of the practice of concubinage, but it did provide a life of security for the women lucky enough to have a caring or honorable master. With the Fire Lord's plans for the world, Katara was probably better off with Zuko, under his guardianship. He took an avuncular interest in the Water Tribe girl, giving the two young Benders advice and doing his part in seeing to Katara's well-being. When Katara was injured by the assassin, he had seen the pain in Zuko's eyes and knew he did care for the Waterbender.

If Zuko had abused Katara, the older Firebender would have stepped in and taken her away. But that was not the case, fortunately. Abuse of women was one thing Iroh would never condone, and he sighed softly as he thought of Ursa.

The remnant of his hot water had cooled, and he did not bother heating it back up. He rose from his seat, feeling the slight creak in his bones as he righted himself. Tomorrow would be a free day, the Palace City closed to outsiders. The Fire Lord wasn't the only one with plenty of work to do and long days of sitting in Court or participating in meetings. He planned to simply sleep late and then explore the Palace City without the usual bustle of servants and guests around. It was definitely good to be home, and seeing and appreciating everything with wiser eyes.

The bed invited him into its comforting hold, and he settled down happily, his dreams filled with past memories.

o0o0o0o

Katara yawned and groaned softly, feeling a ache in her head as she stretched awake. As soon as she opened her eyes, the light overwhelmed her so she closed them again, rolling away from the irritating sunshine. She felt a slight churning in her stomach. A low moan escaped her lips before she struggled to sit up, feeling a fresh throb in her headache. Instinctively, her hands went up to her head.

She heard a soft chuckle before she felt a hand on her shoulders, easing her back down onto the pillows. His lips pressed against her face several times as she found herself the recipient of a loving nuzzle..

"Good morning, darling..." the Fire Lord whispered, running his fingers along her jaw. She opened her eyes, albeit more cautiously and stared at him. There was a smirk on his face and she groaned softly, pulling the blankets over her head and curling up to go back to sleep, or at least attempt to. He started tugging at the blanket, but she held firm.

"Go away, my head hurts."

Zuko shook his head slowly. Poor thing. She had indeed drunk a lot, but the wine _had_ been good. He nodded before climbing out of bed and ringing the bell. He had already informed Kidoji to prepare a special tea that was used for hangovers. After he did so, he went to the armoire to pull on a black yukata. In several minutes, the old man was knocking gently on the bedroom door, and Zuko strode across the floor to open it.

"Katara, I have something to help you feel better. But you need to come out and drink it." Zuko coaxed gently. She lowered the blankets slowly, staring at him through slitted eyes. He offered the cup and helped her to drink it before setting the cup aside and rubbing her back.

Katara managed to pull herself out of bed and to the washroom. After she was done, she felt a little better, and splashed cold water on her face before rinsing her mouth with several mouthfuls. She wandered back to bed, flopping down on the soft blankets. When he started kissing her, she tried to push him away. He smirked before getting out of bed and closing all the window shutters so that the room darkened considerably. As he did so, she wiggled under the blankets again.

Katara moaned softly as he crawled under the blankets with her, stroking her body, kissing her, seeking out some affection. The drink was helping and she _did_ feel better, but she had been out very late and was still tired.

"Shoo." she whispered.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I want you." Zuko whispered. She opened her eyes and smiled before stroking his cheek gently.

She looked at him quietly, thinking about their relationship. If she were still in her Tribe, she would not have been in this situation. She would still have been a virgin, at the right age for the courtship rituals to begin. Those who wanted her hand would have to come to her with prizes of the hunt... a seal, ivory, a new parka, or other such things. In the Earth Kingdom she had seen courtship too... men bringing flowers and poems and other trinkets to the women they sought.

The Waterbender could not help but wonder what courtship rituals the Fire Nation boys and girls went through. That was one area she had yet to learn about, given the circumstances that had brought her under Zuko's custody. She was certain the customs were different especially among the nobles, since money and power were apparently more important than love.

Her courtship – could it even be called that – had been to say the least... unique. Katara stared off thoughtfully as the Fire Lord studied her quiet expression.

"Does something trouble you?" he asked. She blinked and shook her head, but he knew something was bothering her.

"Tell me about them."

"And what were you thinking about just now?" she challenged. Her thoughts for his...

"I was thinking how beautiful you look and I was wondering if I could ravish you later." he shot back with a smirk, wanting to make her smile or lighten her mood.

"Is that all you think about?"

"Maybe."

Katara crossed her arms in mock dismay and pouted at him. He grinned back as his eyes moved along her face and arms before he noticed something.

"Katara… did you lose your necklace?" he asked, noticing its absence around her neck. Her hand fluttered up to her throat.

"I took it off last night before I left for the Festival." she said softly.

"Do you plan to put it back on?" he asked.

"…I guess I will later." Katara sighed. He looked at her quietly.

"Is something wrong? I mean, I know that necklace meant a lot to you…"

The Waterbender stared off for a few moments, and he did not interrupt her thoughts. She finally looked back at him.

"Yes it does. It always will…" the Water Tribe girl murmured, stroking the area where her collarbones came together where the necklace usually rested, remembering how she had felt last night when she took it off.

"Would you like me to put it back on?" he asked.

"No, I put it in a safe place."

"What is wrong?"

"I… do not know. It feels a bit strange having taken it off… but not as strange as I thought it would be. I mean, I am safe and so are you and Sokka and Aang… and my mother's gone on to a better place…"

"The necklace is valuable to you… but things have changed and you no longer need it to feel protected?." the raven-haired male asked. She blinked and was silent for a moment before nodding.

"Yes. That's it."

"I am glad you feel safe here now." the Fire Lord whispered as he placed a kiss on her forehead. She nodded silently, looking down. Just because she felt safe with him didn't mean she was happy here in Sozun, but she said nothing about it. He lay next to her and pulled her into his arms, and she smiled faintly, laying her head on his bare chest and pressing her cheek against the warmth of his skin, feeling his heartbeat. He looked down at her, seeing this sweet and simple gesture of hers.

He held her close for a bit, rubbing her back gently as she lay there quietly, listening to his heartbeat and breathing as she took in the warmth of his body. She loved the fact that he liked to hold her and touch her. In a way it reminded her of her mother and how she would hold her when she was little.

"Don't you have to go to Court?" she asked softly. He shook his head.

"The Palace City gates are closed, there is no Court today. The festival went on late and I ordered a day of rest." he explained.

"It will be nice to not have to deal with all of these people. And… would you be interested in seeing the places you have not been to yet? Such as the Council and War rooms…" Zuko added. She kissed his cheek and nodded, her eyes gleaming with interest. His eyes gleamed a little when he got the kiss and he kissed her right back on her lips, pulling her to himself more tightly, placing kisses all along her face and throat and inhaling her scent.

"Mine." Zuko whispered as he nuzzled a breast and looked up at her. She nodded quietly and reached out to stroke his hair, feeling the thick hair under her hand. As soon as her hand made contact with his hair, he closed his eyes and lay his head back on her chest, letting her stroke him. She knew that he was particularly fond of her gentle touches, and she started to sing to him quietly.

Zuko relaxed, closing his eyes and listening to her soft and sweet voice. She had not sung to him since that night on the ship and he had been afraid to ask her to sing again because he knew that it had taken a lot of courage for her to sing for him and he hadn't wanted to make her uncomfortable, especially when being in Sozun under the reign of Ozai had made her so unhappy.

When her voice died down to a languorous silence, he pressed his lips to her tenderly.

"I love you." Zuko said softly,. Katara's lips curved into a gentle smile. He smiled back before raining more kisses along her face and throat, this time moving down lower to her chest and nuzzling her there. She watched him quietly, her hand still on his head. He inched up her slip, his hands sliding along her flesh. His lips traveled to her mark and he gently touched it with the tips of his fingers, apparently deep in thought before he looked up at her.

"Do you know what this mark means?" Zuko asked softly. She stared at him for a moment. Of course she knew – how could she not? It meant she belonged to him.

"It means that I belong to you?" she asked. Zuko paused and shook his head.

"It's not what you think, Katara."

"Then…what is it? What is it supposed to be if it doesn't mean I belong to you? I thought you branded me to show me that I belong to you." she asked. He could not help but wince at this blunt description, feeling guilty for letting her think that.. Zuko sighed softly, looking back down at the mark and tracing his finger along it.

"It… doesn't mean that you belong to me like you are a piece of property or anything like that, Katara. It's more than that. It… basically means that I took you to be mine, you could say that I took you to be my…mate?" It was the best word he could think of.

Katara stared at him quietly, letting his words sink in. Part of her felt relieved that he had not marked her for a base reason, but if the mark really did mean what she thought it did…

"Why did you brand me back then? You were so angry with me and I was angry with you…"

"I had thought of marking you before it happened. And so when you argued with me and resisted me, I… .reacted and wanted to show you that you were going to stay with me and be mine so I…" he traced his finger along the mark, letting his gesture complete his statement, "Rest assured, it's not a mark of slavery or concubinage or any such thing, even though I let you believe that was what it was at first. I didn't want to tell you the truth before because I didn't know how you would react."

Katara looked down at her mark, gingerly touching it with her own fingers. He watched her for a few moments, studying her face, looking for any telltale sign that would reveal her thoughts or feelings about this revelation of the mark, but he was unable to discern anything from that calm yet empty expression.

"The legends say that when Agni found the woman he loved, his soulmate, he placed his mark on her so they would remain connected forever. Her mark would let him find her even after she had died, for he was a god and she was a mortal woman. He loved her so much that he never wanted to lose her."

Part of her felt relieved that the mark did not stand for… something so crude, and she also felt odd that the mark had meant more than that from the start. Had he really wanted her so much back then? How had she come to mean so much to him after just one night together and all the encounters they had had as enemies?

"You bear my mark, but I also bear yours."

"How could I forget?" She eased him off her and tugged down the waistband of his pants down just enough to reveal the mark she had placed on him, running her fingers along it.

"There's nothing in the myth that said that Agni had his mate mark him, but..." He smiled and shrugged, thinking of his visions of Agni. They lay together in silence for a while, Katara's hand resting over the mark on his hip as he cuddled close.

"I'll get us some breakfast, okay?" Katara asked softly.

"Sure."

Katara rang the bell, placing on a dark red yukata before ordering breakfast as casually as if she had always been a noblewoman. They took their time with breakfast, simply lounging on the divan and munching on the food that the servant had brought. She gave Zuko a backrub, and he gave her one of his rare smiles before he stroked her cheek.

"I had fun last night." Katara said softly as he glanced up at her.

"You did?"

"I loved seeing the Agni Odori and the fireworks, they were both stunning!" she said enthusiastically, "And I liked the dinner too. It was nice seeing Chit Sang again."

"Good, good. I was hoping you would enjoy yourself, I know our customs are different from those of your people and I am glad that you let yourself enjoy it." Zuko said with a nod.

"I hope we can see another Agni Odori soon." Katara said hopefully. Zuko smiled and nodded.

"I know Uncle wants to have some at his birthday party. And a lot of music as well!" he said with a small scowl even though she could see his eyes twinkled just a bit.

"I wouldn't expect any less from him after seeing Music Night on the ship." Katara grinned. The old Prince would doubtless want his guests to participate at some point. She could not help but wonder what Iroh would plan for Zuko's birthday.

"And what about you?" he asked.

"Pardon?"

"Your birthday?" he asked. She quickly looked down. Would he be upset if he knew that she had hidden it from him?

"Well?"

"It's… the day after the summer solstice." Katara said softly. Zuko furrowed his eyebrow for a moment.

"Are you telling me that your birthday was nearly three months ago?" he asked incredulously. That had been shortly before his Agni Kai with his sire. She nodded mutely.

"Why did you not tell me?" he asked. She shrugged.

"My birthday never… really meant much to me. My mother would always try to make it special, and Sokka, and Dad's too, but then after she died… Plus, your father was still in charge then, and I..." she whispered, looking down. Zuko placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Let me make it special." he murmured, placing a light kiss on her cheek as he whispered this into her ear, "What would you like?" he asked. She bit her lip and looked down, thinking of the things she could ask before she settled on one for the moment, something she had been wanting for a long time.

"A walk on the beach." Katara said simply. He stared at her for a moment and she feared he might say no but then he slowly nodded.

"I will arrange for a night out for both of us." Zuko stated, going into thought, "I can even clear away a day and we can go out on the ocean and spend a day and night aboard the Imperial Ship. Does that sound good?" he asked.

"I would love that, my lord." Katara said with a small smile. She had seen the ship in the harbor, and was impressed by the sight of it. The titanic craft was for the Fire Lord's personal use, and came with all sorts of amenities, being a vessel designed for the comfort and pleasure of the Fire Lord and his selected guests. It was a definite far cry from the small warship Zuko had used when he was chasing the Avatar. Zuko lay back on a pillow and looked down at his mark, gingerly touching it with his hand as she watched. He looked up, his eyes meeting hers. She placed her hand to her lips, kissing her fingers before touching his mark with these fingers. He touched her fingers with his own as he looked at her.

"Agni placed his mark on the woman he loved so she would know of his loyalty to her. The mark showed others that she belonged to him. She was the only one to receive such a mark and Agni sought affections from no one else."

He reached out to stroke her hair.

"I know that I did not give you a proper courtship… but I hope that what I have done for you and given to you makes up for it." he said. She nodded reassuringly. Strangely, a part of her felt comforted at being connected to him in such a unique way. And hearing about the significance of the marks made her feel better knowing that there was real meaning behind them, and that she and Zuko were now evened up, in a manner of speaking. He gently ran a finger along her jaw as she closed her eyes and leaned her head into his touch.

"I am truly grateful for what you have done so far, but... there is one more thing I would like." She opened her eyes and sat up, gazing at him evenly.

"What is it?"

"I would like to see the Avatar."

Zuko was silent for several long moments.

"You don't want to see the Avatar again, do you?" she asked softly. He shook his head.

"You need him."

"What?" He stared at her.

"It is his job to help keep the world in balance. The Earth Kingdoms and Water Tribes don't trust the Fire Nation, you yourself admitted that. And there are people who wish for the War to continue, right? But if the Earth and Water people know that you are now teamed up with the Avatar, he can put in a good word for you. The way I see it, you can maintain peace more easily if you have the Avatar working with you and people seeing that. You could send out an official invitation and have it spread with many messengers. Let Aang know that he will be safe here. I can add a personal message of my own so he knows you're telling the truth."

Zuko hated to admit it, but she was right. Peace was no easy task – Zhao and his men had been one bitter example of that – and the Avatar stood as a symbol for peace and balance. Politically, an alliance with Avatar Aang _would_ serve as a great boon. Uncle had already advised upon such a matter, assuring Zuko that in the future, an alliance would benefit everyone.

"I need to think about it." he murmured, not wishing to capitulate so quickly. Personally, he didn't want to see the Avatar again, not after what the child had ensured under the hands of Fire Lord Ozai.

"Please, Zuko." She leaned her head against his shoulder, staring at him with these gorgeous azure eyes of hers. He sighed softly and nodded.

"Thank you." She wrapped her arms around his middle, squeezing him affectionately. He relaxed, wrapping his own arms around her, nuzzling her fiercely. It was nice to see her happy.

"I have something for you…" the Fire Lord said before he climbed out of the bed. She glanced at him curiously as he went to his armoire and pulled out a small wooden box, returning to the bed with it.

"I… thought you would like it." Zuko whispered as he slid the cover off. She gasped softly when she saw what was inside. On a bed of soft grey velvet was an exquisitely wrought necklace of silver set with moonstones and accented with diamonds. She noticed a set of earrings with tear-drop shaped moonstones as well and looked up at him with eyes full of surprise and appreciation.

He could not help but smile when he saw the delight in her eyes.

"I know that you do not care too much for baubles but... I thought that you would at least want some jewelry that was truly yours." All the jewelry in Katara's wardrobe had been passed down from former favored concubines, Princesses, Consorts, and Fire Ladies.

She ran her fingers along the moonstones as he watched silently. Several weeks ago, he had contacted the man who held the reputation for the best jewelry-maker in Sozun. The metalsmith had been all too honored to take a job from the Fire Lord, and the price was worth it, for this man had brought in the best quality moonstones and did a superb job with the silver-work and simple but elegant pattern. The finished product had been hand-delivered to him the morning before.

He knew it would mean a lot to Katara to have something that was truly her own instead of all the gold baubles that had been passed down through the royal family.

Zuko set down the box and lifted up the necklace, bringing it to Katara's throat and fastening it. The silver and stones were almost luminous against her skin and he leaned back, admiring how she looked.

Katara looked down at the earrings that were left in the slim box and back up at him, He picked up the earrings and slid them into her ears. She felt her hand being tugged on, and he helped her out of bed and walked her over to the mirror, showing her her reflection. He stood behind her, laying his chin on her shoulder as she stared at their reflections. The moonstones were indeed beautiful and she liked how the jewelry looked on herself. She offered her reflection a smile, and Zuko kissed the side of her neck, loving how she looked and feeling proud of himself for making such an appropriate choice. Already, ideas were running through his head for more pieces of jewelry that would be appropriate for her. As Royal Consort and representative to the Water Tribes, she should be able to wear the colors of her heritage sometime, especially at upcoming formal occasions and meetings with other rulers.

They stared at the mirror for several more moments before he led her back to the bed. She started to take her earrings off and put them back in the box, but he shook his head.

"Leave them on." he said quietly. She smiled at him before nodding, her hands running along the stones that encircled her neck.

The Fire Lord's lips descended onto her own before he kissed along her face and jaw, moving down her throat and past the necklace down to her scar, which he nuzzled and kissed. When he looked back up at her she stroked his cheek, giving him a small smile. He then kissed his way back up to her face and nuzzled her fiercely.

"Love you." Zuko whispered, holding her close as she touched her nose to his. He stared at her silently for a few moments as if he was waiting for something, and she blushed and stared back at him.

"Do you?" he asked softly.

"Pardon?" she looked at him for a few moments, seeing his golden eyes gazing at her intently.

"Love me?" Zuko asked. She tore her gaze away from his and looked down at the blankets, trying to focus on the deep red color of the bedspread.

"I care about you." Katara replied simply in a thinly veiled attempt to wiggle her way around his question, and the Fire Lord did not miss it.

"But do you love me?" he demanded. She averted her gaze, but not before noticing the hurt that flashed in his eyes.

"I'm sorry..." she said softly.

"And you do not love me." came his bitter reply.

"I didn't say that I did not…"

"Then why won't you say yes?" Zuko demanded.

"I don't know." she replied quietly, lacing her fingers together on her lap and wringing them nervously as he stared at her hard. She quickly looked down at her hands, and the silence that hung in the air was uncomfortable. After a few more moments, Katara finally penetrated it although she still looked down at her hands.

"Please... don't be angry with me." she pleaded.

"Who said I was angry?" Zuko snarled as he looked down at her. She flinched.

"I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry…my lord." Katara whispered, slowly lifting her eyes up to look at him. He did not say one word and continued staring at her.

"What do you want from me?" the Water Tribe girl asked, still wringing her fingers together, "Do you want the jewelry back?" she asked freeing her hands of each other and touching her necklace.

"The jewelry is yours. What I want…is for _you to love me_!" His voice was raw with emotion.

"I didn't think you cared if I... loved you. You didn't seem to notice or care that I didn't say it. You also told me that you… were never going to let me go." she replied.

She sometimes felt trapped by this. The feeling of being captive didn't come so much from being in the heart of the Fire Nation as it did from seeing the way he looked at her with that intensity in his eyes that caused shivers to go along her spine in both pleasure and fear.

"I hoped that… if I said it enough you would feel more comfortable here with me and want to express the same feelings. Am I not good enough for you to love?" Zuko asked fiercely. She shook her head.

"Oh no, Zuko! It's not that, it's not at all!" Katara said, quickly moving forward and touching his arm, "I care for you, I honestly do!" she pleaded, looking into his eyes to show him the verity of her statement. "We were through a lot and our relationship didn't... exactly have the best start…" she whispered, looking up at him.

"And just what is that supposed to mean? You are going to hold it against me for the rest of your life?"

"No, no. Just… listen to me, okay? We started out as enemies, Zuko. That night a long time ago, you took me to your boat and deflowered me, and then you took me as your concubine when you took my brother and the Avatar... I was so angry with you back then… I thought all I was to you was a toy."

"You never were my toy." Zuko said, narrowing his eyes.

"You never led me to believe otherwise." she murmured. The Fire Lord let out a soft sigh.

"I'm sorry."

"I know..." she said softly as she reached out to touch his hand. He responded to this by squeezing hers gently. "It's just that... with what was happening to me and my companions... I didn't want to find myself caring for you because you were supposed to be my enemy. I didn't want to let you win, and I felt as if I was betraying my family and friends by letting myself feel anything for you. As we lived together, I... saw you as a person, not just the man who branded me and took me as his own. I came to realize that you cared for me, otherwise…you wouldn't have treated me so well or be so concerned for my safety." she admitted quietly. "I tried not to but... I came to care for you very much."

"Then try to understand why I want you to love me." he asked. She nodded.

"I'm not saying I do not love you… I have had crushes before, I will admit that, but what I feel for you is... much more than that."

Zuko stared at her silently for a few moments.

"I _do_ care about you." Katara insisted.

"You care about your brother and father and the Avatar. I don't want care! I want you to have a feeling for me that you have for no one else! I am not going to be second best to someone else, Agni damnit!" he stated vehemently. The thought of Katara loving somebody else caused him to burn with jealousy. He could not help but think of the Avatar's pleas to see Katara and the affection the boy had for the Waterbender.

"There's nobody else. What I feel for you is different. I cherish the time we spend together, Zuko." Katara whispered, trying to reassure him. His gaze softened as he looked at her silently.

"All I ask for, my lord… is patience." she asked softly, "I understand that you want me to love you and I am willing to. I am simply being honest with you. You have always been honest with me and I did not want to change that by telling you a lie and saying yes."

Zuko stared at her thoughtfully before slowly nodding.

"I would never betray you or harm you, know this much. Just give me time, please." Katara whispered as she scooted closer. A strong arm reached out and wrapped around her middle.

It was not the _yes_ that he wanted to hear, but it did satisfy the Fire Lord somewhat. He still yearned for her love, but he appreciated her honesty and for her to say yes when she didn't mean it would have been far worse. Given the circumstances and how she had become his in the first place, her request was hardly unreasonable. And he vowed to himself that she would love him one way or another. He cherished her too much to ever let her go, and he did whatever he could to keep her happy and comfortable here. To the Fire Nation she was a mere plaything and an exotic novelty, but to him she was his wife and more. His... mate.

"Mine." he whispered heatedly. As he pulled her close, he savored the warm feeling of her body curled up to his and he nuzzled her, seeing her eyes sparkle as he nuzzled her fiercely. Her hand slid down his chest into his yukata and slowly approached his mark, trailing her fingers around it. He looked down at it and then back at her.

"Never forget that I love you." His gaze was calm and steady. She felt his fingers under her chin as he lifted up her face and she felt his lips press against her own before he nuzzled her, trailing his kisses along her face.


	37. Epilogue

**Hot Water**

Afterword – Bonus Scenes and Epilogue

Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs to DiMartino, Koneitzko, and Nickelodeon. Thank you to all of the friends I have made, and all of the people that have left me reviews! I love you all!

Contained within this chapter is a bonus scene (for mature readers, since I know my readers love the Zutara smut) as well as the epilogue scene that wraps up this story, but I have firstly included an Author's Note to explain some of the things I have used in the story. It's up to you whether you want to read it or not.

o0o0o0o

Names – I felt it would be fun to explain the names that I chose for the OC's in case you were wondering…

Shi-Ryuu – this literally translates to Death Dragon. I figure that while many Fire Nation citizens are patriots, there are some who care only about themselves. Jun has made it clear she is willing to work for anyone, and naturally, she wouldn't be the only mercenary out there. Likewise, Shi-Ryuu feels no compunctions about killing anybody – Fire or Earth citizens – for the right amount of money.

Hana – Katara's loyal handmaid/attendant, Hana is Japanese for 'flower' and I felt it fit her well because Hana is a sweet and pleasant person – entirely unlike her brother – and is very loyal to Zuko and Katara.

Lan Yu – This name means 'honorable abundance' (also spelled Longyu) and was also the name of one of the Qing Dynasty empresses, the wife of the Kiang Hsu (Guangxu) Emperor (she r. 1889-1908, then as Empress Dowager until 1913. She was also niece of the infamous Empress Cixi) I liked the sound of the name, and decided to flesh out this character a bit, as she would be replacing Hana as Katara's primary attendant.

Yi., Ze, Kiku, Natsumi, and Min – This is a mixture of Chinese, Japanese, and a Korean name that I chose for Ozai's other concubines. None of them were chosen for any special meaning.

Iyashii Taam – Katara's adversary! Iyashii is Japanese for vulgar/mean, and taam-sam is Chinese for greedy. Fits her well, no?

Yan Jue Sylid – Yan Jue is Chinese for 'careful' which I feel describes Sylid well, he is a careful and cautious man who is attentive to his surroundings and the needs of his patients, and he also serves Zuko in a military capacity by giving him advice. Sylid itself is just a made up name.

Si Seung Kamas – Kamas is another made-up name, but Si Seung is Korean for 'mind' and I felt it was a good name for one of the men that Zuko chose for his Council because Kamas is a very analytical person.

Peony – Often, when girls became of age or became wives or concubines, they might have to take a new name if their husband desired it of them. This is why Peony was originally introduced as Lily. I chose the name Peony after reading the novel _Peony in Love_ by Lisa See (a beautiful and heartbreaking novel) and in the novel, Peony was also to have her name changed for her marriage, so this inspired me for the name change.

Various other names that have appeared through the story such as Heit, Kodo, and Carsk are all a mixture of Asian-inspired names, and have no special meaning.

Shyu – who makes his appearance later in this chapter – is the same Fire Sage who helped the Avatar in Avatar Roku's temple in the Winter Solstice episode. He is also the grandsom of Fire Sage Kaja, who trained Avatar Roku in Firebending.

Mao – The 'Bully Guard' is actually from the show, he was in the Boiling Rock and he is the one who provoked Chit Sang to Firebend in 'The Boiling Rock'. On the show, he is never given a name and is simply called 'Bully Guard' in the credits, so I thought I'd give him a name.

It's clear from the images of the Fire Palace in Season 3 that it's much like a city of its own within the volcano, surrounded by complexes and buildings along with orchards and a couple of lakes, so I decided to just treat this place like the Forbidden City in China. (The Earth King's Palace in Ba Sing Se was directly inspired from the Forbidden City, according to the official information for the show) The Hall of Supreme Harmony really is the name of the main building in the Forbidden City that housed the Dragon Throne, so I decided to use this name for my story. (In the actual Forbidden City, it took a long time to walk from the front gate of the City to the Hall of Supreme Harmony)

The original version of Hot Water had 37 installments, but I cut out quite a bit and polished many parts, as well as rewrote some parts to make this story more fluid and coherent. Even though this story was written during Season One, I incorporated a few bits of canon information from Seasons 2 and 3 for this edit. I was actually cringing at some of the old crap I wrote, and this final version of HW feels much more smooth/fluid/better to me.

And now… the bonus scene for y'all! Some of you wanted to know if the secret book Katara found would be coming back… and so here it is! If you're on FFN, you can just go to my profile to find a link to the uncut scene, or you can just read on to the other bonus scene (non-smut) and Epilogue.

o0o0o0o

**(Zuko and Katara naughtiness! Oh my!)**

o0o0o0o

Even though she could feel the sand under her feet, it was almost hard to believe that she was here, the ocean but a couple of steps away with nothing standing between her and this enormous expanse of her element. At the Palace, she could go up the volcano wall and enjoy a view of the ocean from the smooth clearing on the lip of said volcano. But nothing could ever compare to the feel of the waves crashing around her ankles, and the scent of the saltwater.

Zuko looked at her with a faint smile as she took a step forward. Though he was not a Waterbender, he could understand the appeal of his surroundings. It had been far too long since he took a vacation on Ember Island. Call it her birthday present if he would, but this was more of a present for _both_ of then.

The serenity of this place welcomed them like a mother wrapping her children in a loving embrace, offering peace and security. Zuko could – at least for a while – put concerns of the Nation aside knowing that his uncle was a more than capable regent, and concentrate on just having fun.

He sat down on the sand, idly scooping it up with his left hand and letting it run between her fingers as he watched Katara wade into the water. She was an enticing sight, her lithe and curvy form bound within a two-piece swimsuit, deep crimson wrapped around her top and clinging to her pert rear end. It sometimes amazed him how an innocent movement or gesture on her part could cause a searing desire to engulf him. Never did he feel anything even remotely like that around any other women, even those at Court who flirted with him.

Katara looked over her shoulder at him, flashing him a warm grin before she dove into the water, a wave crashing all around her. The waves were thick and strong, and he remembered such days when he and Lu Ten would stand in the water and simply let the waves crash against them. The blow and current of each wave was like a massage, so days when the water was like this was always a treat. Katara let out a delighted laugh as she swum out further, moving through the water with the ease only a Waterbender could possess in this element.

The Fire Lord reclined on his elbows, content to sun himself as he watched Katara swim. After a while, he sat up again and started digging with one hand in a languorous pace, making a small pile of sand and patting it every so often. When Mother was still alive, the family would come here to enjoy themselves. He would go swimming with Lu Ten or build sand-castles with his cousin, and Uncle would even help sometimes. Mother would too. But Ozai had never deigned to participate in such an activity.

Zuko reminisced about past times here as he continued to dig and pile sand, sometimes simply letting it run through his fingers or from his fist.

A shadow appeared above him, and he looked up to see Katara, her swimsuit plastered to her body, droplets of water scattered along her skin and glistening in the afternoon sun.

"What are you doing?" she asked as she looked down at him. He glanced down at the pile next to him before returning his attention to his consort.

"I'm building a sand-castle. Would you like to join me?"

"Absolutely."

o0o0o0o

Epilogue – Three Years After Sozin's Comet (Beginning of Year 4 of the Reign of Fire Lord Zuko)

Katara gazed at her reflection, seeing a image completely different from the poor Southern Water Tribe girl she had been several years ago. Vivid blue eyes shone from a face that had lost its soft, girlish planes, leaving behind a regal-looking demeanor that spoke of wisdom. She sat with her shoulders pulled back, her chin raised regally as Lan Yu combed back her hair and pinned it before placing the ornate headdress on her head.

She was bedecked in a set of robes that had been specially made just for her, for her coronation ceremony, rather than use one that had been worn by previous consorts. Rather than the usual motif of dragons, flowers, or fire as was usual for consort's coronation robes, the Waterbender's outfit had been designed to resemble a phoenix.

The intricate gold embroidery along her outer robe had been done in a masterful, flowing design, resembling feathers but in such an artful manner that to Katara, resembled the sinuous movements of water. The clothing came in a modest cut, but due to the lightness of the silk, it complimented her figure well and was comfortable for the warm weather. Her choker, bracelets, headdress, and earrings all matched the motif of her outfit, intricately studded with sunstones and fire-rubies. Normally, Katara preferred simpler clothing to wear, but she had to admit, she liked this outfit a lot. She looked so regal and majestic that it was hard to not admire her reflection as Lan Yu added the final touches.

The headdress came with a thin silk gauze veil down the back, of the same color as her outer robe. Both were also intricately embroidered with gold thread, and when she walked, the thin material would flutter out behind her, light catching in the threads.

The final touch were her slippers, which were made of red satin with gold phoenixes embroidered on the outside of each. Lan Yu gently slipped them onto her waiting feet.

Katara rose gracefully from her seat. Lan Yu could not help but smile in admiration.

"You look especially splendid, my lady. After the coronation, everyone will be saying that you are the most beautiful Fire Lady ever crowned."

"You flatter me." Katara replied, but her eyes twinkled and her tone was warm. Over the last three years, she had changed from a miserable and imprisoned concubine to a happy and confident consort. Life was by no means perfect, but there was plenty to appreciate.

She strode out of the royal chambers, the gold-studded silk trailing before her much like a phoenix's tail, and Lan Yu followed her closely, holding the edge of the robe and train to keep it off the ground as several guards fell in step before them.

Just outside the Palace, her palanquin waited. It was a beautifully-crafted vehicle with padded seats, retractable wooden walls, silk and velvet curtains, and a gilded phoenix at each corner of the roof. She climbed into it as Lan Yu carefully tucked in her train, making sure nothing snagged on the ground or on the sedan. The curtains were drawn, and her bearers picked up the palanquin, bringing her forward.

o0o0o0o

The Fire Lord stood on the podium, hearing the dull roar of the crowds as he waited for his love. Surrounding the podium were his guards, and within that perimeter were the Fire Sages, along with several other dignified guests. His eyes slid over to Hakoda and Sokka, dressed in their best Water Tribe clothing, bone and ivory jewelry gleaming against their dark flesh. Avatar Aang stood with them, clad in robes of orange and gold. He had grown since Zuko had set him free, and was now nearly as tall as the current Fire Lord.

Katara had been right, the Avatar was integral in helping keep the peace in the world. The alliance had been a bit shaky at first, given past events. The Avatar had even tried to convince Katara to leave with him, but fortunately, the Waterbender had maintained her vow to be loyal to her Fire Lord. And Sokka hadn't been on board with the entire matter in the beginning, not that Zuko could blame him. But now, they had accepted Katara's union with him.

Her palanquin moved into view, and Zuko felt his heart skip a beat. He couldn't wait to see his beautiful Waterbender in her Phoenix robes. He had been waiting for what seemed like almost forever to crown her as his Fire Lady. The bearers set down the ornate vehicle, and he felt almost light-headed as Lan Yu moved forward to help Katara out. The curtain opened, and a red and gold slipper slid out, followed by an enticing peek of a dark-skinned ankle before the soon-to-be Fire Lady stepped out, standing still for a moment so that her attendant could straighten out the veil and robes. Across the podium, their eyes met.

Katara felt a bit dizzy, but maintained her composure, using this pause to catch her breath as she felt Lan Yu fiddle with her train, arranging it neatly. She stared at the Fire Lord for a moment before looking around at the rest of the people that waited for her. She could not yet see the crowds, but she saw the Sages standing in a neat row, Shyu at the forefront with the crown in his hands and a faint but encouraging smile on his face.

And there was Dad and Sokka, looking so handsome and dignified in their indigo and white robes, standing tall and proud with Bato and two other Tribesmen, The Avatar was staring at her, his expression quietly guarded, but he smiled at her when she made eye contact with him. Chit Sang and Sylid stood nearby, looking dignified in black and red formal robes, along with several other trusted noblemen and advisers dressed in similar colors. Though it was not advertised, all of these trusted noblemen were part of the Order of the White Lotus, which gave its silent but firm support to the peace that the Fire Lord wanted.

Peony stood next to Kamas, her cheeks dimpled as she smiled at the Fire Lady-to-be. Normally, she would have stood near Hana and Ty Lee, but it had been too long since she saw Kamas, and wanted him to notice her. The Royal Consort wasn't the only one happy to see the man she cared for, after all.

Hana shot her mistress a small smile as she stood near Hakoda, wearing the elegant robes of a noblewoman. It had always been understood that she would not remain in the Palace forever, and Lan Yu had replaced her as Katara's primary attendant, but the two women had remained close friends. As a noblewoman, Hana helped maintain contacts with other noblewoman, increasing the support base for the Fire Lord and his lady, and was now one of the Fire Lord's most prominent courtiers, serving well in her position as Lady Zhao. Katara knew that without this woman, she wouldn't have adjusted to life here as quickly.

Next to her, Iroh stood, tall and proud, looking every bit the dignified Dragon of the West that he was called. An active and happy Palace life hadn't curbed his love of the good times, but he was fitter than before, his robes revealing a thick but no longer portly build. Like everyone else, he regarded the Waterbender with a smile.

She walked past them all, acknowledging them with a graceful nod before she took her place, trying to ignore the throngs below her as Shyu and the Fire Lord came forward. The people cheered as Zuko came into view, and the bright scarlet banners waved in the breeze as the flames danced in the ornate braziers. Zuko looked regal in robes that had been made by the same tailors who had made the Phoenix robes, only his own clothing carried a dragon motif, and the cut of the material was distinctly masculine. He looked so handsome, and she felt a faint blush creep across her cheeks as he gazed at her. She could see the admiration in his eyes and the faint smile on his lips. He turned towards the crowd, taking a step forward to come into better view as Shyu announced his presence, and the crowds fell into a unified bow, a sea of backs lined up neatly in the large and open space.

"It is my honor to announce His Imperial Majesty, by grace of Agni, Fire Incarnate, King of Kings, Beloved of the Gods, Master of all He surveys, Dragon Monarch, the Hand of Agni, The Lightning of the Spirits, Keeper of the Eternal Flame, Messiah of the Unquenchable Flame, Ruler of all the Sun Touches, Bringer of Peace and Harmony, Defender of the Faith of Agni, Conqueror of all His Enemies, Holder of the Dragon Throne, the Supreme Judge and Lawgiver, Father of his Nation, Infinite blessings on His name!"

The cheers rose as the throngs rose to their feet. Zuko let this go on for several moments before he raised his hand for silence. Katara stood patiently, having already been coached, and waited for her cue. Zuko moved off to one side, nodding to her. She came forward, and felt as if she would faint as she gazed across at the masses. They fell into another bow.

Zuko could see the nervousness in her eyes, but he also saw strength and determination. She stared at him for a fleeting moment before gracefully dropping to her knees in front of the Fire Lord.

"I, Katara of the Water Tribe do become your liege woman of life and limb, and of earthly worship; and faith and truth I will bear unto you, to live and die at your command. I am your humble servant, my Lord, and do swear to serve you and no one else." she said as the Sages and her family and friends looked on.

Shyu stepped forward, the crown in his hands. The headdress she wore was specially designed to accommodate the crown, which would become the centerpiece.

"I am pleased to announce her Ladyship, the light of our Lord, Lady of Infinite Virtue, Rose of the Fire Nation, Vessel of the Phoenix, Consort of His Majesty, Fire Lady Katara!"

She remained silent, head bowed as Shyu placed the crown on her head. She did not move at all, and stared out at the kowtowed masses before her. They rose again after Katara rose to her feet.

After several moments, Shyu turned back and bowed to her. The Fire Lord knew several of the Sages did not approve of the Waterbender, but Shyu kept them in check. When he had become Fire Lord, he pulled Shyu out of the dungeons that his sire and Zhao had incarcerated him after Avatar Roku's temple collapsed. As such, he was one of the Fire Lord's advisers and a trusted member of the council, presiding over the religious activity and all the temples in the city.

All of the Fire Sages bowed to the Fire Lord before he gently touched my Katara's sleeve. She looked up at him before bowing to him. He offered her his hand, feeling the slight tremble as he squeezed it lightly. He would never forget the sight of her in her coronation robes, looking stunningly beautiful and majestic, as befitting a true Fire Lady.

The fireworks shot up into the air, filling the sky with brilliant flashes of red and gold as the Fire Lord and Lady stood there before their Nation.

o0o0o0o

The city partied and feasted that day, and the Fire Lord held a huge banquet within his Palace for all the dignitaries that came to visit. Many prominent Earth Kingdom figures were there, such as King Bumi, and the Beifong clan. Zuko was certain that many of them had come simply to confirm the fact that he was indeed marrying a Waterbender, but regardless of the reason, his union with Katara could also be seen as a diplomatic gesture. After all, if people were not certain that he truly wanted peace, all they had to do was ask Katara, who was always ready to speak positively of him and Iroh. She had already met with each and every one of the guests, welcoming them and making them feel at home.

The reception seemed to last forever, and he was more than eager to have it over with. Even now, three years after becoming Fire Lord, he didn't like these social events, and kept them to a minimum. He glanced over at Katara, who was chatting amicably with a Kyoshian warrior sitting near her. Sokka sat at the Kyoshian's other side, glancing at the auburn-haired warrior with admiration.

He turned his attention to the Avatar, who was eating quietly as he sat next to Bumi. They stared at one another for a moment, and Zuko gave him a respectful nod. The younger male nodded slowly before resuming his meal. Peony sat next to Kamas, her eyes twinkling at something he had just said to her, and Zuko saw a rare smile on his adviser's face. Everyone was engaged in some sort of conversation or was listening to one, enjoying themselves and the fine food. Even the usually solemn-faced Jeong Jeong was smiling faintly as he listened to something Lady Zhao was saying.

Dessert was brought out, and a small volcano-cake was set in front of the couple. Katara's eyes twinkled as she shot Zuko a smile before digging her chopsticks into the spicy confection. He smiled back before she offered it to him, and he graciously took the offering before giving her a bite of her own.

Finally, the banquet was over, and the Fire Lord let out a sigh of relief when he exited the ornate hall after a short chat with his advisers, moving through the darkened halls as the lamplight illuminated his path.

"My lord." Lan Yu approached him, bowing. "The Fire Lady awaits you in the garden."

"Very well." He was surprised that Katara wasn't in the royal apartments, but he would hardly complain about a visit to the garden. Though there were several, he knew exactly which one Lan Yu was referring to.

The Fire Lady sat on the bench near the koi pond, still bedecked in her phoenix regalia, her headdress and crown glittering under the light of the moon. She looked up as he approached, and he sat down next to her, touching her hand with his own.

"Tara." he whispered, squeezing her hand.

"Zu." she shot back gently.

"You looked absolutely stunning out there, standing tall and proud in these robes of yours. Not that you don't always look beautiful, of course."

"I could say the same about you. Seeing you in Imperial robes always sends a nice little shiver through me."

He chuckled softly as he studied her. "That's definitely good to know." He eyed the intricate embroidery of her robe, idly taking hold of the loose, flowing sleeve and examining its hem.

"I'm just glad that you don't expect me to know how to sew like a prim and proper noblewoman. I wouldn't have the patience to do ten stitches, let alone this entire outfit." she commented with a smile as she saw his scrutiny. "Especially with such beautiful work as this. I never felt so regal."

"There's other occasions where you can wear this outfit again."

"Good. I'd hate to wear this just once. I must admit, I've become quite spoiled from wearing so much silk and satin."

"Enjoy it, you deserve it." He ran his fingers along her cheek, and smiled as she leaned her head into his touch. He lowered his head to press his lips to hers, and felt her hand slide along his shoulder. Even now, his passion burned for her as hotly as it had ever. She was as alluring to him as she had been when he had first encountered her, and only grew more beautiful as she matured. He cupped her face with his hands, seeing the moonlight shine in her eyes.

"It's getting late. Why don't we... go to bed, hmm?" he murmured, his voice warm and soft like velvet. She smiled at him and nodded.

He rose from the bench before offering his arm, and she hooked her own through it. They made no rush to go into the Palace, walking along the garden path at a languorous pace, enjoying the faint scent of fire-lilies that hung in the warm summer air. He paused, sliding his arm from hers as he approached a clump of the fire-lilies, plucking out an especially robust specimen and bringing it back to her.

She smiled as he bowed gallantly, offering it to her. Her fingers brushed against his as she took it, inhaling deeply of the scent. The blossoming of the fire-lilies was something she had come to look forward to, and for as long as they bloomed, a vase full of them would be waiting for her as she retired to bed so that she could fall asleep with their sweet scent.

He slid it from her fingers and tucked it behind her right ear, making for an alluring sight. He picked up her hand and kissed the back of it, and she batted her eyes at him, blushing like a shy maiden. He could not help but recall a heated night last summer when she had come to the royal bed wearing nothing but a hand-woven crown of freshly-bloomed fire-lilies. A soft sigh of content escaped his lips as he gazed down at her, savoring that memory. He was eager for such a vision again, but tonight, she would keep on her crown. As befitting a Fire Lady.

As they resumed their stroll down the path, he draped his arm across her shoulder, holding her close as he inhaled her scent mixed with that of the flower.

"I love you." he whispered, pressing his lips to her temple.

"Love you too." she shot back softly, regarding him with a warm smile as they entered the Palace. And the Fire Lord could swear that he felt Agni smiling down at them as Katara's own arm draped around his middle, holding onto him just as lovingly as he was with her in his embrace.

o0o0o0o

I would like to thank all of my loyal reviewers and fans for supporting and encouraging me to write this story, whether the first time around or for this! I honestly appreciate your support and feedback – it is what keeps me going! I would like to list all of the wonderful people who have enjoyed this story, but goodness, that would be a LONG list!

Thank you all for taking the time to read this story and telling me what you think, thank you for the kind words and praise, thank you for the constructive criticism and taking the time to point out what I did best and what I could improve on. I could not have done it without you. Editing this story was a long and sometimes frustrating task, but the end product was well worth it, and I am content. I hope you are too.

MM/Spleef/Spleefmistress/CultOfStrawberry – Started June 2005, Completed (First version) May 2006, Final Edition completed October 2010


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